The European Commission announced today that it concluded exploratory talks with the pharmaceutical company Valneva to purchase its potential vaccine against COVID-19 using inactivated technology.
The envisaged contract with Valneva would provide for the possibility for all EU Member States to purchase together 30 million doses, and they could further purchase up to 30 million more doses the European Commission declared.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said: “The continuing COVID-19 pandemic in Europe and around the globe makes it more important than ever that all Member States have access to the broadest possible portfolio of vaccines to help protect people in Europe and beyond. Today’s step toward reaching an agreement with Valneva further complements the EU’s vaccines portfolio and demonstrates the Commission’s commitment to find a lasting solution to the pandemic.”
Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, said: “With this eighth vaccine, we are adding to our already broad and diversified range of vaccines in our portfolio. By doing this, we can maximise our chances of making sure that all citizens can have access to safe and effective of vaccinations by the end of 2021. All Member States have now started their vaccination campaigns and will start receiving an increasing number of doses in order to cover all their needs during this year.”
European biotechnology company Valneva is developing an inactivated virus vaccine. This vaccine technology is the same used in influenza vaccines and many childhood vaccines. This is currently the only inactivated vaccine candidate in clinical trials against COVID-19 in Europe.
