Like a cry for help. The Franco-Austrian biotech Valneva called on Friday for more orders from European countries for its vaccine against Covid-19 in order to be able to maintain its contract with the European Union. “We think it is necessary to give a serious warning that the program can simply stop without a sufficient volume of orders”, affirmed Franck Grimaud, the general manager of the biotech.
Valneva had signed an agreement last year with the European Commission for the supply of up to 60 million doses of its vaccine. However, on that date, it received order volumes that were too low compared to what was initially expected, which jeopardizes the sustainability of the program, she believes. “The consequence is that there would be no inactivated vaccine available in Europe”, underlines Franck Grimaud. For the leader, this type of vaccine has its place, however, especially for people who have not been vaccinated because they are reluctant to the more recent technology of messenger RNA.
This is yet another episode in the soap opera of a French vaccine against Covid, while the world production of serums has reached such levels that some laboratories have already stopped manufacturing, due to lack of demand.
Only a few more days before the termination
For 2022, Valneva was initially to deliver to the European Union some 24 million doses of “VLA2001”. However, the latter has still not been authorized by the European Medicines Agency. In May, the European Commission therefore announced that it was considering canceling its order.
Under the terms of the contract, Valneva therefore had 30 days from May 13, 2022 to obtain marketing authorization or propose a plan to remedy the situation in an acceptable manner. But for lack of sufficient interest on the part of European countries, Valneva explains that it could have to stop its program, whatever the case. “It would not be economically viable,” says Franck Grimaud.
“The preliminary and non-final volume indications received from the Commission would not be sufficient to ensure the sustainability of the vaccine program,” the company specifies.
A call for help to France
Franck Grimaud pleads for a re-allocation of the doses already ordered by the European Union to various laboratories and addresses an appeal to the French government. “France is one of the countries that placed one of the largest orders initially. In the search for a solution, it can and it must play a role”, considers the leader.
Valneva’s vaccine has already been authorized in the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Bahrain, the only country where it is currently marketed.