Advantageous conditions: Also, the EU is reserved to vaccines against the Coronavirus

The EU Commission has reserved with the French pharmaceutical manufacturer, Sanofi, and his British Partner Glaxo-Smith-Kline (GSK) in the framework of a temporary contract of up to 300 million doses of a yet-to-be-developed vaccine against the Coronavirus. The EU Commission announced on Friday.

Christian Schubert

economic correspondent in Paris.

Ilka Kopplin

editor in the economy.

The pre-order success on behalf of the 27 members of the EU, with other producers, discussions are conducted, the Commission informed. EU President Ursula von der Leyen said it was a "first important cornerstone of a much broader European vaccine strategy". More will be coming soon. The French government welcomed the agreement immediately. This agreement allow it, the member countries of the vaccine, if it exists, to refer to "advantageous conditions" to said she.

Europe turns on for the first time in the race for the long-awaited vaccine. Previously, the EU had been criticised – not least by Sanofi – because of their slow reaction to the preparation of the vaccine supply. On Friday, Sanofi and GSK had reported that you will increase, as a supplier, the cooperation with the United States. For this you will receive up to $ 2.1 billion.

More than half of the sum will flow into the development of the vaccine, and the remainder in the Expansion of the production and the delivery of the initial 100 million doses of the Vaccine, with the Option of an additional 500 million doses. A clinical study of Phase 1/2 to start in September. Testing in the Phase 3 could follow by the end of the year, so that an application for authorisation would be in the first half of 2021 possible, informed the company.