Latin American production will be in charge of Argentina and Mexico and that will allow timely and efficient access for all countries
in the region.  - A.M. Costa Rica wire services illustrative photo.


















Published Friday, August 14, 2020

Argentina will produce covid-19
vaccine, says president Fernández


By the A.M. Costa Rica staff and wire services

The President of Argentina, Alberto Fernández, met with representatives of the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and the biotechnology company mAbxience, to sign the technology transfer agreement for the initial production of 150 million doses of the active substance of the potential covid-19 vaccine, announced the Argentine government.

"This agreement highlights the level of professionals, the quality of science and the manufacturing capabilities that our country has," said Agustín Lamas, President of AstraZeneca for South America. "If the clinical trials prove positive, this strategic alliance will provide early access to the potential covid-19 vaccine for Argentina."

According to the government, Latin American production will be in charge of Argentina and Mexico and that will allow timely and efficient access for all countries in the region.

At the meeting, pharmaceutical companies promised that "there will be no profit while the pandemic lasts," the government said.

"This agreement puts Argentina in a situation of tranquility and of being able to have the vaccine at a reasonable price, with a cost of between $3 and $4 per dose," President Fernández said.

The goal is to provide the vaccine to Latin America within the first semester of 2021, this is immediately after the results of Phase III studies and once regulatory approvals are analyzed, the government said. "The possibility of producing millions of additional doses to this initial agreement is being evaluated."

Of the total number of vaccines to be produced, the government reported that some 22.4 million doses will be destined first for health and security workers, the elderly and people in higher risk. Argentina has a population of 44,560,000 people.

As part of the aforementioned agreement, mAbxience will manufacture the active substance of the potential vaccine in Argentina and the Liomont Laboratory in Mexico will complete the formulation and finishing process.

As of Thursday night, the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University reported 5,362 patients died due to covid-19, and 286,072 people infected with the virus in Argentina.







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Should the pharmaceutical companies leading the covid-19 vaccine development allow each country to have access to produce the cure for covid-19 for its population? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com