Moderna gets approval to speed up virus vaccine output with bigger vials
The US drug regulator gave Moderna Inc clearance to speed up output of its Covid-19 vaccine by letting it fill a single vial with up to 15 doses, with the United States banking on rapid immunisation to stem the spread of the deadly virus.
In a statement, Moderna said its vaccine can now can be supplied in vials containing 11 or 15 doses, and it expected to begin shipping 15-dose vials in coming weeks.
U.S. distribution of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine began in December following the FDA’s emergency use authorisation, and the company has shipped 100 million doses of its vaccine to the United States as of March 29.
Moderna expects to begin shipping of its 15-dose vials in the coming weeks. The decision provides new assurance of Moderna’s supply and could speed up its deliveries. Like Pfizer, another manufacturer of a two-dose vaccine, Moderna has pledged to deliver a total of 200 million doses by the end of May and 300 million by the end of July.
