AstraZeneca to invest in new Covid-19 vaccine production in Eastern Germany

AstraZeneca may partner with Germany's IDT Biologika to produce its Covid-19 vaccine in a bid to bolster supplies.

According to Reuters, the Anglo-Swedish drug giant was looking at the options available to it to accelerate production already for the second quarter of 2021.

The UK-listed company was looking to invest in building as many as five 2,000 litre bioreactors which would allow production of tens of millions of doses per month.

"This agreement will greatly help Europe build an independent vaccine manufacturing capability that will allow it to meet the challenges of the current pandemic and create strategic supply capacity for the future," said AstraZeneca chief, Pascal Soriot.

Those same bioreactors could also be used for manufacturing other similar vaccines.

IDT would reportedly invest a "triple digit million euro" figure and be responsible for making the active ingredient, as well as mixing, bottling and packing the final product.

AstraZeneca's share of the investment remained the subject of ongoing talks.