Australia locks in coronavirus vaccine deal to produce Oxford University-AstraZeneca candidate if approved
The Australian Government would manufacture Oxford University’s vaccine immediately and distribute it for free, if the next phase of trials prove successful.(Unsplash: National Cancer Institute)
Australians are a step closer to accessing a coronavirus vaccine for free, after the Federal Government secured a major international deal to produce a vaccine frontrunner locally, should trials succeed.
Key points:
- The Australian Government has signed an agreement with AstraZeneca to secure Oxford University’s COVID-19 vaccine, if trials prove successful
- If it is successful, Australia will be able to manufacture it domestically
- Prime Minister Scott Morrison has pledged to make the vaccine free for all Australians
Amid rising pressure to lock in supply of a coronavirus vaccine, the Government has signed an agreement with UK-based drug company AstraZeneca to secure the potential COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University, if its trials prove successful.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said if the vaccine succeeded, the Government would manufacture it immediately and make it free for all Australians.
“The Oxford vaccine is one of the most advanced and promising in the world, and under this deal we have secured early access for every Australian,” he said.
The Oxford University vaccine has entered its third phase of trials, where it is tested on thousands of volunteers to confirm its effectiveness. It has been considered a frontrunner in the global race for a vaccine, which includes more than 160 candidates.
The UK has already moved to shore up its supply of the vaccine, reserving 100 million doses, but the Federal Government’s agreement is different, securing vaccine development, production and distribution.
