Fosun Pharma rushes logistics plan for possible BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine deployment from January
- Fosun technicians have been trial-testing almost 100 ultra-low temperature freezers at a facility in Shanghai, according to a Caixin.com report
- BioNTech has committed to supply at least 100 million doses to Fosun Pharma in 2021, enough for 50 million people
The firm, the sole marketing partner in China for the German company, has made “advanced preparation” to ensure the facilities are ready when the vaccine is approved, the person said, asking not to be identified due to the confidential nature of the planning.
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The jab has been approved for mass vaccination in Europe, North America and Singapore. It is currently undergoing a “bridging” clinical trial in mainland China. A bridging trial is much smaller in scale than a full-fledged trial required for a new drug before approval.
Dozens of Fosun technicians have been trial-testing almost 100 ultra-low temperature freezers at a 2,000 square metre facility near Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport. They are capable of keeping enough materials to make 5 million doses of the vaccine, local news media Caixin.com reported on its website on Wednesday.
Both companies are evaluating plans to co-build a manufacturing facility in China to produce up to 200 million doses of the vaccine annually, the report said. Shanghai-based Chemo Wanbang Biopharma will be responsible for the manufacturing, while Fosun Pharma takes care of sales and distribution, the report said.
Chemo Wanbang is a joint venture between Jiangsu Wanbang Biochemical Pharmaceutical Group – a subsidiary of Fosun Pharma – and Chemo Pharmaceutical Group of Spain.
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A Fosun Pharma spokesman would not comment on Wednesday on the Caixin.com report and its logistics preparation. An earlier company announcement had mentioned the possibility of the vaccine being produced in China in the last of a three-stage supply arrangement with BioNTech.
BioNTech did not immediately respond to emails seeking comments on the matter.
Fosun Pharma obtained the licence from BioNTech in March to exclusively develop and commercialise the Mainz-based firm’s Covid-19 vaccine in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Earlier this month, it signed a supply agreement with BioNTech for the mainland market, starting with the import of finished products. The import of formulated bulk products and local manufacturing could follow thereafter.
Details of the supply arrangement will be subject to further negotiations, regulatory approvals for the vaccine’s deployment and market demand, Fosun Pharma said on December 16.
BioNTech has committed to supply no less than 100 million doses to Fosun Pharma in 2021, enough for 50 million people with up to 95 per cent protection from the virus. Fosun has agreed to pay €125 million (US$153.6 million) upfront to its partner before Wednesday.
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For finished products supplied from Germany, BioNTech will be entitled to 65 per cent of the gross profit, while Fosun will get a 35 per cent cut. For bulk products, they will split the gross profit on a 60:40 basis.
All 960 volunteers in the China bridging trial have been given the first jab of the BioNTech vaccine by December 19, with no severe adverse response so far, Fosun Pharma’s spokesman said.
BioNTech’s licensing agreement with US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer for the vaccine covers markets outside these jurisdictions. Fosun could potentially leverage on Pfizer’s successful phase-three trials to win approval in China.
Meanwhile, rival China National Pharmaceutical Group on Wednesday said interim trial results of its Covid-19 vaccine candidate was 79.34 per cent effective, without disclosing the number of people evaluated for the results. Sinovac, which has a candidate in human trials in Brazil, Turkey and Indonesia, has postponed reporting of its detailed results until next month.
