Updated June 23rd, 2020 at 20:31 IST
French drugmaker Sanofi eyes approval of potential COVID-19 vaccine by first-half of 2021
"We are being guided by our dialogue with regulatory authorities," Sanofi research chief John Reed said in a televised address about the vaccine to hit by 2021.
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While drugmakers are racing to manufacture a safe and effective vaccine against coronavirus, French drugmaker Sanofi SA revealed that it is expecting the approval for the potential COVID-19 vaccine it is developing with Britain's GlaxoSmithKline Plc by the start of 2021, faster than the company anticipated. The company announced the accelerated time frame from the previous second half of 2021 manufacturing as said by GSK in April.
"We are being guided by our dialogue with regulatory authorities," Sanofi research chief John Reed said in a televised address that streamed online when asked about when the vaccines will hit the market. Further, the chief elaborated that the company was hosting a virtual research and development event for the same. While the time did not completely assure victory, Sanofi Chief Executive Paul Hudson said, the company was ahead in the race with Moderna Inc, the University of Oxford collaboration with AstraZeneca Plc to develop the vaccine, and an alliance of BioNTech and Pfizer vaccines.
Sanofi's timelines for #Covid19 vaccine were more conservative than many of the other companies working on the challenge. But its timelines have been shortened.
— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell)
Sanofi knows how to make vaccine & make it to scale. https://t.co/Ykhd97N1aW
We’re proud to be working in partnership with @GSK, sharing expertise in order to drive COVID-19 vaccine discovery. We’re doing everything we can to be a part of the solution. #WeWontRest https://t.co/u7hOZI8dfn
— Sanofi Pasteur (@sanofipasteur)
Read: MMR Vaccine Might Offer Protection Against Acute Covid-19 Complications: Scientists
Read: Oxford University Starts Human Trial Of Potential COVID-19 Vaccine In Brazil
Aiming at quality than speed
"There are companies moving faster, but let us be brutally clear, speed has three downsides," Hudson was heard saying about competition in a live-streamed interview. He added, “They are using existing work, in many cases done for SARS, it is likely not to be as efficacious and there is no guarantee on supply in large volumes.” However, the company emphasized that the chances of success of the vaccine for them were higher than anybody else. As per a report, earlier, the chief medical officer of GSK was also quoted saying that the drug company was aiming at quality much more than the focus on speed.
We announced today major investments in a state-of-the art production site and a new research center both dedicated to vaccines. These investments will make France our world class center of excellence in vaccine research and production. https://t.co/F9O4lFQL2Z
— Sanofi (@sanofi)
In an official press release on the website, Sanofi emphasized that Translate Bio would receive over $425 million as upfront payment and common stock equity investment, plus it is overall eligible to receive up to $1.9 billion of potential milestones as well as tiered royalties by US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) on worldwide sales of developed vaccines. Further, it added, Sanofi has“received exclusive worldwide rights to develop, manufacture, and commercialize infectious disease vaccines using Translate Biotechnology.”
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Read: WHO Hopes For Hundreds Of Millions Of COVID-19 Vaccine Doses This Year
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Published June 23rd, 2020 at 20:31 IST