The Scramble for Covid-19 Vaccines

On Thursday, WHO issued an update that six Covid-19 vaccine candidates, including three from China, have entered Phase 3 trials. 

The ones from China are from Sinovac, Wuhan Institute of Biological Products/Sinopharm and Beijing Institute of Biological Products/Sinopharm, according to Michael Ryan, executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Program, at a virtual briefing. 

The other three are made by the University of Oxford-AstraZeneca, Moderna-NIAID and Pfizer-BioNTech. 

Strangely, there was no mention of the Russian vaccine – named Sputnik V – and which has been weighed down by massive scepticism. The country claimed on Tuesday it has developed the world's first Covid-19 vaccine offering "sustainable immunity" against the coronavirus. It has indicated that mass inoculation will start this month.

Rich countries are feverishly racing to secure the vaccines, even when the jury is still out as to their efficacy. 

None more so than the United States. 

Operation Warp Speed, a White House-led task force working to accelerate development of COVID-19 vaccines and therapies ensures the country makes a grab for every potential vaccine there is. Except those from China, it would seem. 

In May, the US government cut a $1.2 billion deal with AstraZeneca, a British-Swedish company, for 300 million doses of its candidate vaccine, AZD1222 should it prove effective and be licensed. 

In July, there were three deals inked. 

Firstly, a $1.6 billion deal with Novavax, a late-stage biotechnology company for its coronavirus vaccine, NVX-CoV2373 – the American company has only completed Phase 1 of clinical trials. The US will receive 100 million doses. 

Secondly, a $1.95 billion deal with Pfizer-BioNTech for the pre-purchase of 100 million doses of their experimental vaccine candidate. The agreement also gives the country an option to buy an additional 500 million doses. 

Pfizer-BioNTech are evaluating at least four Covid-19 vaccines – and the agreement is for the most advanced of these, BNT162b1. 

And thirdly, the US signed another agreement to provide up to $2.1 billion to Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline to fund development and manufacturing of the companies’ experimental vaccine. In return, they will provide the US with 100 million doses. 

So far this month, two contracts are already in the bag. 

Last week, Johnson & Johnson announced their Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies have entered into an agreement with the US government for the large scale domestic manufacturing and delivery in the US of 100 million doses of their SARS-CoV-2 investigational vaccine. 

And this week, another deal was inked with Moderna Inc worth up to $1.5 billion for 100 million doses for their vaccine. As well as an option to acquire another 400 million doses. 

I wonder if the poor countries of this world have any chance at all to save themselves from Covid-19? Will they have access to the above vaccines? Does anybody care?