Factbox: Will Brexit slow Britain's COVID vaccine supplies?

Wockhardt

18/12/2020 13:02

By Alistair Smout
    LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Britain says Brexit will not slow
down its COVID vaccine programme, even if it ends up leaving the
EU single market in two weeks with no free trade agreement.
    Vaccines are an absolute priority and military planes are on
standby to fly them in if needed, the government says.
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N2IN1K3
    But with ports expected to face delays whether or not
Britain reaches a trade deal, companies that make and distribute
vaccines are taking extra precautions. Here is what they have
said:
    
    PFIZER-BIONTECH
    So far, the only COVID-19 vaccine approved for use in
Britain is made by Pfizer in Belgium, and requires sophisticated
logistics to transport and store at ultra-cold temperatures.
    Britain began deploying Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine on Dec. 8
and has already taken delivery of 800,000 doses. It has 40
million on order and hopes for "millions" by the end of 2020.
    A spokesman for Pfizer UK said robust plans were in place to
ensure supplies would not be interrupted in the event of a
no-deal Brexit.
    "We are continuing to work with the UK government in this
process and we are confident of our capability to deliver
doses," he said.
    Logistics firm Agility, which is involved in distribution of
vaccines, said Britain got a head start by being the first
country to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, ahead of the EU
which is expected to give approval on Dec. 23.
    "I think that those weeks have certainly helped to allow
them to get things in... There's a lot available in the country
already," Eric Ten Kate, Agility Vice President of Life Sciences
told Reuters. "People are pretty confident that (Britain is)
well positioned and that approval was the smart move to do."
    
    OXFORD/ASTRAZENECA
    The backbone of Britain's COVID-19 inoculation programme in
coming months is expected to be a homegrown vaccine developed by
Oxford University and AstraZeneca, although it has yet to
receive approval and trial results have raised questions about
the most effective dosing strategy.
    Pending approval, as many as 4 million doses could be ready
for use in Britain before the end of 2020, with 100 million on
order.
    The drug substance is made in Britain by Oxford Biomedica
and Cobra Biologics and then sent to other companies for
"fill-and-finish" packaging. An all-UK supply chain would see
fill-and-finish being provided by Wockhardt in Wales.
    Although some early doses were sent to the Netherlands and
Germany for packaging, they are set to be back in Britain before
the end of the year.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N2IO2YJ
    An AstraZeneca spokesman said of possible Brexit fall-out:
"We have built the supply of the COVID-19 vaccine into our
already well-established contingency plans."
    
    MODERNA
    A vaccine developed by Moderna using technology similar to
Pfizer-BioNTech is likely to be one of next to receive approval,
but the British government waited until late-stage results were
published in November to order 7 million doses. 
    Britain does not expect to take delivery of the first doses
until early spring 2021, which the government says is the same
timetable as other countries in Europe.
    
    VALNEVA
    France's Valneva has only just started clinical trials, but
if its vaccine is successful it could play a major role in
Britain, under a deal to supply 60 million doses with an option
for 130 million more. It will begin producing its shot at its
facility in Scotland from January, without waiting for trial
results.
    "We are like every other biopharmaceutical manufacturer, we
are relying on many, many different suppliers," Chief Executive
Thomas Lingelbach told Reuters. Preparations included the
stockpiling of raw materials, moves to ensure availability of
storage and the readying of permits to get supplies imported. He
added the government had been "very supportive".

 (Reporting by Alistair Smout
Editing by Mark John and Peter Graff)
 ((alistair.smout@thomsonreuters.com; +44 207 542 7064; Reuters
Messaging: alistair.smout.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))