NEW YORK — Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) has announced that it has entered into a manufacturing capacity reservation agreement with the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) of the European Commission (EC), which provides the European Union (EU) access to doses of a mRNA-based vaccine should one be developed to protect against a future pandemic-causing disease.
The agreement is focused on supporting the EU’s future pandemic preparedness. It ensures manufacturing capacity remains active to help close gaps between initial manufacturing and sufficient vaccine supply in the event of a public health emergency for the EU. Building upon the company’s experience and leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, Pfizer understands the urgent need for better pandemic preparedness and response planning and has taken several key steps towards readiness for potential future global disease outbreaks. Similar agreements have been reached previously between pharmaceutical manufacturers and countries globally to purchase flu and other vaccines.
Health equity is embedded in Pfizer’s corporate values, and Pfizer is committed to equitable access to vaccines. The company will continue to pursue similar agreements with other countries and multi-lateral organizations, building on the reliability and partnerships forged during the COVID-19 pandemic response.
Pfizer operates one of the largest global manufacturing networks and most sophisticated supply chains in innovative biopharma. Over its 174-year history, the company has built a global supply chain that can reallocate supplies quickly, across borders, to maintain supply and address shifting needs all over the world. Appropriate redundancies within Pfizer’s supply chain, such as extra inventory, increasing workers, and using multiple suppliers, help maintain resiliency.