Gavi, Moderna update COVAX supply agreement

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance has signed an agreement with Moderna for the supply of Covid-19 vaccines to lower-income countries supported by the Gavi Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) Advance Market Commitment (AMC).

"Under the agreement, Gavi and Moderna agree to cancel remaining volumes under their previous agreement in 2022, and establish a framework for lower-income countries to access doses of variant-containing vaccine (VCV) beginning in 2023. Gavi will have the right to access up to 100 million VCV doses at Moderna's lowest tiered price on behalf of AMC participants," according to a release issued by Gavi.

Seth Berkley, CEO, Gavi says: "This agreement with Moderna represents a critical step for equitable access, helping COVAX adjust its portfolio to current demand and ensuring lower income countries have access to variant-containing vaccines to use where appropriate."

In two years since the first Covid-19 vaccine received WHO emergency approval in December 2020, COVAX has delivered 1.8 billion doses to 146 countries around the world – the largest and fastest public health rollout in history. "This includes nearly 186 million doses of the Moderna vaccine, through both the advance purchase agreement with Moderna and dose donations. This effort has enabled 92 lower-income countries to protect, on average, more than 50 percent of their population with two doses of Covid-19 vaccine – and protect the majority of those at highest risk such as health care workers and the elderly."

Stéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer, Moderna says: "Gavi and our COVAX partners have been pivotal in ensuring the global supply of Covid-19 vaccines, leading the largest and most rapid vaccine rollout in history. We are proud of our role in this endeavour and will continue to support COVAX's mission to ensure broad, affordable, and equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines across low- and middle-income countries as we move towards a world where Covid-19 is endemic."

Recognising that countries' needs are still constantly changing, COVAX has also updated its allocation model so that AMC participants can now request – and be rapidly allocated – doses at any time. To-date, COVAX has been able to make doses available for 100 percent of the country requests received through this "rolling allocation" process, the release added.