Deal signed for 30M Novavax vaccines, says Galvez

The Philippines has signed a supply agreement for 30 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by American firm Novavax, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said Tuesday.

“Naging maganda ang resulta ng pagbiyahe natin sa India no’ng isang linggo. Doon, napirmahan na po namin ang supply agreement kung saan ang Serum Institute of India ay magsu-supply ng 30 million doses ng Novavax sa ating bansa,” he said in a Palace briefing.

(Our trip to India last week was fruitful. There, we signed the supply agreement stating that the Serum Institute of India will supply 30 million doses of Novavax to our country.)

Galvez said the doses, which will be manufactured in India, are likely to arrive in the third or fourth quarter of the year.

Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine has yet to be approved for emergency use by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration.

Indian Ambassador to the Philippines Shambhu Kumaran earlier said the Novavax vaccines would comprise the bulk of the country's COVID-19 vaccine supply in the second half of the year. 

The vaccine showed 89.3% efficacy in a United Kingdom trial. 

Aside from Novavax, the Philippines and India are also in talks for at least eight million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Indian firm Bharat Biotech. 

A total of 199,704 doses have been administered in the Philippines as of March 14.

In the same press briefing, Galvez also the Philippines will receive 1.4 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine developed by Chinese firm Sinovac Biotech within the month.

Galvez said these doses include the additional 400,000 donated by the Chinese government and the 1 million procured by the Philippine government.  —KBK, GMA News