Pfizer signs new $3.2b Covid vaccine deal with US govt

Covid-19 vaccine makers Pfizer and BioNTech announced a new $3.2 billion supply deal with the US government, as the country braces for a fresh wave of cases this autumn, reported dpa.

Under the deal, the US government will initially receive 105 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. The order may include adult Omicron-adapted jabs, subject to authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration.

The agreed doses are planned to be delivered as soon as late summer 2022 and continue into the fourth quarter.

The government also has the option to purchase up to 195 million additional doses, bringing the total number of potential doses to 300 million.

According to Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, the new agreement will help ensure people across the US have access to vaccines that may provide protection against current and future variants. Trials of its vaccine adapted to Omicron have shown positive results so far, Pfizer says.