WASHINGTON – United States biotech firm Moderna yesterday said it is seeking clearance with regulators around the world to put 50% more coronavirus vaccine into each of its vials as a way to quickly boost current supply levels.
The company issued a statement after The New York Times reported that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already cleared it to increase levels by 40%.
“In order to better maximise resources, as well as maximise opportunities to deliver more doses to each market faster, Moderna has proposed filling vials with up to 15 doses of vaccine versus the previous 10 doses,” a spokesman said in a statement to AFP.
The spokesman added that the company is engaging in discussions with FDA and authorities in other countries, and the increased level of doses will not require different vials from those currently in use.
“Any resulting change would be subject to final approval from the various regulatory authorities. Implementation of any such changes would be expected to be completed in approximately a two- to three-month period.”
Citing sources close to the matter, NYT reported that FDA has agreed to Moderna using 14 doses per vial, compared with the previous 10.
This will require the retooling of production lines that will take less than 10 weeks, or before the end of April, said the report.
“It would be a great step forward,” Moncef Slaoui, who was chief scientific adviser for the federal vaccine development programme under former president Donald Trump, told NYT.
“I think it will have an impact in the short term.”
Some 10% of Americans have received at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose, with Moderna accounting for just under half the number, and Pfizer, just over half.
The Joe Biden administration announced on Thursday that it has reached a deal with both these companies to supply a total of 600 million doses of their two-shot courses by the end of July, enough to cover 90% of the US population. – AFP, February 13, 2021
