AstraZeneca signs pact with EU to supply 400 mn doses of Covid-19 vaccine

It has agreed manufacturing deals globally to meet its target of producing 2 billion doses of the vaccine, including two ventures backed by Bill Gates and a $1.2 billion agreement with the US govt

AstraZeneca Plc said on Saturday that it had signed a contract with European governments to supply the region with its potential vaccine against the coronavirus, the British drugmaker's latest deal to pledge its drug to help combat the pandemic.

The contract is for up to 400 million doses of the vaccine, developed by the University of Oxford, the company said, adding that it was looking to expand manufacturing of the vaccine, which it said it would provide for no profit during the pandemic.

Deliveries will start by the end of 2020.

The deal is the first contract signed by Europe's