Moderna says COVAX, African Union refused additional COVID-19 shots - Reuters
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COVAX, a global initiative to ensure global access to COVID-19 vaccines, and the regional body, African Union, have declined to exercise options to buy additional doses of Moderna (MRNA -6.1%) COVID-19 vaccine, Reuters reported Tuesday, citing a company spokesperson.
The group did not exercise the options for 166 million doses for 3Q 2022 and another 166 million doses for 4Q 2022, which expired on Apr. 01, according to the company.
COVAX is backed by the World Health Organization (WHO), and Gavi, which handles its vaccine procurement and delivery, has signed agreements to access 650 million doses of Modernaâs (NASDAQ:MRNA) vaccine in 2021 and 2022.
As of Apr. 01, COVAX has delivered about 1.4 billion vaccine doses to 144 countries. The refusal to opt for more doses comes at a time certain low-income countries are struggling to keep up with the supplies amid vaccine hesitancy and challenges to distribution.
"We are in conversations with manufacturers ... to align with magnitude and timing of country needs," a spokesperson from Gavi said.
Last month, Moderna (MRNA) announced it had signed nearly $21 billion worth of Advance Purchase Agreements for the vaccine, identified as Spikevax in the U.S.