President Alberto Fernández confirms Argentina and Mexico will co-produce millions of doses of a coronavirus vaccine developed by scientists at the University of Oxford and Swedish-British pharma firm AstraZeneca.
Speaking at a press conference at the Olivos presidential residence on Wednesday (August 12), he said that the two countries would be in charge of the “Latin American production” and distribution of the vaccine.
Argentina will be in charge of producing "the active substance," said Fernández, with Mexico finishing "production and packaging."
He said that the country "could be in a position to vaccinate" by the first quarter of 2021.
SHOTLIST:
1. Various of Argentine laboratory
2. Various vaccine manufacturing
3. Various of Argentine scientists
4. Various press conference of the President of Argentina and Minister of Health
5. SOUNDBITE: ALBERTO FERNÁNDEZ, President of Argentina
6. Various of the meeting between the President of Argentina and representatives of the AstraZeneca laboratory
STORYLINE:
President of Argentina Alberto Fernández confirms Argentina and Mexico will co-produce millions of doses of a coronavirus vaccine developed by scientists at the University of Oxford and Swedish-British pharma firm AstraZeneca.
Fernández, speaking at a press conference at the Olivos presidential residence on Wednesday, said that the two countries would be in charge of the “Latin American production” and distribution of a vaccine created by the prestigious British university and Swedish-British pharmaceutical group.
Argentina will be in charge of producing "the active substance," said Fernández, with Mexico finishing "production and packaging."
He said that the country "could be in a position to vaccinate" by the first quarter of 2021.
An agreement signed between AstraZeneca and the mAbxience biotechnology company of Argentina’s Grupo Insud includes transfer of technology to initially produce 150 million doses, officials said. Fernández said AstraZeneca’s choice of mAbxience was “a recognition of quality” of Argentine laboratories.
"AstraZeneca has signed an agreement with the [Mexican NGO, the Carlos] Slim Foundation" for the financing to produce "between 150 and 250 million vaccines destined for all of Latin America, with the exception of Brazil," said Fernández, who said the doses would be "distributed equitably among the countries that demand it."
"It's beautiful news, a hopeful piece of information and a source of great pride that we can work together with Mexico to provide an answer for our beloved continent," he added, while cautioning that the vaccine was still in phase three trials and not yet fully proven to be effective.
"It is a non-profit project, we must celebrate the decision of the company and the University of Oxford, which are guaranteeing a vaccine without profit and without the economic benefits for that vaccine. We celebrate that," he said, adding that the vaccine would cost between US $ 3 to US $ 4 a dose.
The vaccine is a result of joint effort by scientists at the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca, a Swedish-British pharmaceutical group. Officials from the company met with the president and officials back in July.
Around 150 million doses will initially be produced by Argentina and Mexico in total, which will then be distributed throughout the region with the exception of Brazil, which has a separate agreement.
Three days ago, the Brazilian government announced that it would start mass production of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in December, confirming that it had reserved 100 million doses and contributed US $ 360 million to its development in the process.
SOUNDBITE: ALBERTO FERNÁNDEZ, President of Argentina
"The AstraZeneca laboratory, which is a laboratory that has been established in Argentina for many years, has signed an agreement with the University of Oxford, you all know it, for the development of a vaccine against Covid-19, and that it is in development phase 3. The laboratory has signed an agreement with the Slim Foundation to produce between 150 and 250 million vaccines destined for all of Latin America with the exception of Brazil, which will be available for the first half of 2021 and that will be distributed equitably among the countries that so demand and at the request of the governments of each of those countries. Latin American production will be in charge of Argentina and Mexico, and that will allow timely and sufficient access to the vaccine for all countries in the region".
