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FILE PHOTO: Moderna CEO, Stephane Bancel. /Getty Images
The CEO of biotechnology company Moderna on Tuesday warned European countries that dragging out negotiations to purchase its encouraging new coronavirus vaccine will slow down deliveries.
Stephane Bancel said the deliveries will be affected negatively as other nations that have signed deals will get priority.
"It is clear that with a delay this is not going to limit the total amount but it is going to slow down delivery," Bancel told AFP.
Moderna on Monday said its COVID-19 vaccine appears to be 94.5 percent effective, according to preliminary data from the company's ongoing study.
A week ago, competitor Pfizer Inc. announced its COVID-19 vaccine appeared similarly effective – news that puts both companies on track to seek permission within weeks for emergency use in the U.S.
The United States has already reserved 100 million doses since early August and several million doses are now in storage awaiting approval from the U.S.'s regulatory authorities, according to Bancel.
The approval could come probably in December, he said.
Countries across Europe are witnessing a resurgence in COVID-19 cases despite successfully slowing outbreaks earlier in the year.
According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Europe has reported more than 14 million confirmed cases. The worst-affected countries being France, Russia, Spain, the U.K. and Italy, all of which have reported more than one million cases each.
(With input from agencies)
