In order to ensure a supply of 100 million doses of the novel Coronavirus vaccine that the US government has entered into a $1,525 billion deal with Moderna, a U.S.-based biotech firm.

With this, the US government has now concluded advance supply agreements with five companies whose candidate vaccines are considered to be the leading supporters of approval. This is Moderna ‘s second contract. Previously, the US government had offered the company US$ 995 million to develop innovations that are first used for the production of a vaccine. Moderna ‘s candidate vaccine uses the new Coronavirus messenger RNA to trigger an immune response in people. Until now, no RNA-based vaccine has been developed for any disease.

The two deals together carry the US government’s contribution to US$ 2.48 billion in Moderna vaccines. An unspecified portion of this money was intended as a stimulus to deliver the vaccine promptly, but the company did not reveal the agreed schedules. The company said in a statement that the deal also included an option to purchase another 400 million doses of vaccine.

The Moderna vaccine is the final stage of clinical trials and will be accepted by the beginning of 2021.

In January 2021, the US government has committed itself to provide, through a plan called Operation Warp Speed, at least 300 million doses of a new Coronavirus vaccine. So far, the United States has signed deals with various firms, the most likely candidates being accepted, for at least 700 million doses.

It secured 300 million doses of vaccine in a $1.2 billion deal between Oxford University and AstraZeneca. Novax has an additional US $1.6 billion contract for 100 million doses. The biggest deal until now was with the vaccine partners Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline. The government of the United States has agreed to pay the US $2.1 billion for 100 million doses.

The US has also entered into a 1 trillion dollar deal for the provision of 100 million doses with Johnson & Johnson. There is also another $1.95 billion deal for 100 million doses between Pfizer and BioNtech.

That means that the United States has already signed advance agreements for 800 million vaccine doses for a population of 330 million. Maybe not all vaccines produced are successful. Diversification means that the U.S. will have assured supplies to every good candidate vaccine and win the competition.

Oxford University expects to see results by September with the Swedish-British pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca, while the US research company Moderna is collaborating with the USA. National Institutes of Health ( NIH), possibly November, are planning for the end of the year.

US President Donald Trump initiated ‘Operation Warp Speed’ with a view to developing, manufacturing and delivering the COVID-19 vaccine by January 2021 to all Americans.

Hundreds of millions of dollars were earmarked for vaccine developers, including nearly $ 500 million at the end of March for Johnson & Johnson.

The United States has spent more money on companies than any other country in the hope of one vaccine against the highly contagious virus.

To date, Washington has spent at least $9.4 billion on seven vaccine developers and has entered into production contracts with five to supply 700 million doses.

These are: Johnson and Johnson, Moderna, Oxford / AztraZeneca, Novaváx, Pfizer / BioNTech, Sanofi, Merck Sharp and Dohme. These include the following firms.

Two vaccine manufacturers — Oxford / AztraZeneca and Sanofi / GSK — have agreed or are currently negotiating a combined 700 million doses with the European Commission.

The UK is seeking a separate pre-order of 250 million doses from four companies ahead of Brexit.

Japan has 490 million doses from three manufacturers, of which 250 million are from United States Novavax.

Pharmaceutical giant Takeda purchased rights for the research-funded Novavax vaccine for Japan. This will be locally generated.

A similar model was chosen by Brazil to order 100 million doses of AstraZeneca and to collaborate with Chinese Sinovac to manufacture 120 million CoronaVac, already tested with the Brazilians.

Two Chinese vaccine candidates – Sinovac and Sinopharm – undergo clinical testing, but only a few foreign collaborations, one with Brazil and one likely with Indonesia have been confirmed.

Russia said 20 countries have 1 billion doses of Sputnik V pre-ordered and that it would be capable of generating 500 million doses per year with international partners in five nations.

Launched in 2017 by Norway, India, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Wellcome Trust, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations aims to ensure “equitable access” to future vaccines.

It has purchased 300 million doses of AstraZeneca in cooperation with the Vaccine Alliance in hundreds of developing countries.

The Giant Serum Institute of India (SII), the world’s largest manufacturer of vaccines, will produce thousands of thousands of doses for Asia and elsewhere.

Novavax and AstraZeneca have signed separate agreements with SII to manufacture one billion doses in India and low and middle revenue countries, provided they demonstrate their efficacy in clinical trials.