Moderna Tries To Boost COVID-19 Vaccine Supply Chain To Produce 3B Doses Annually

  • Moderna Inc MRNA plans to produce up to 3 billion doses in 2022, doubling capacity at contract sites in Switzerland and Spain run by Lonza Group LZAGF and Rovi, respectively, and increasing drug substance manufacturing by 50% at its U.S. facilities.
  • The expansions will also allow Moderna to now produce between 800 million and 1 billion doses in 2021, the company said.
  • The actual number of doses will depend on the manufacturing split between 100-microgram vaccine doses and potentially lower-dose boosters and pediatric vaccines, the company said.
  • The financial terms of the expansion were not disclosed, but Moderna said it is funding the move out of pocket.
  • The increases announced today are in addition to the recently announced increases in formulation, fill and finish in the U.S. with Catalent Inc CTLT and Sanofi S.A. SNY.
  • Sanofi entered an agreement earlier this week to help manufacture 200 million doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine at its Ridgefield, NJ site. That will begin in September.
  • CDMO Catalent announced that it was upping the production capacity of the vaccine in its Bloomington, IN biologics facility through its new high-speed vial filling line. Those doses are expected to be ready in May.
  • Additionally, citing new data, Moderna says the COVID-19 vaccine can remain stable at temperatures found in refrigerators for three months.
  • Currently, the mRNA vaccine is approved to be stored in the refrigerator between 2-8°C for up to 30 days and up to seven months in the freezer at -20°C. 
  • Price Action: MRNA shares are up 1.85% at $181.98 in the premarket trading on the last check Thursday.
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