The European Commission has doubled its order for the Moderna vaccine against COVID-19 by ordering another 80 million doses, DPA cited Moderna as announcing on Friday. The EU executive already signed a contract for 80 million jabs, with the option to double the amount, which it has now taken, Moderna said in a statement. This means the European Commission secured 160 million doses in total, with the first to arrive in early 2021, if the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approves the vaccine. The EMA announced on Thursday it would reach a decision on authorization on Jan. 6. "We appreciate the confidence in Moderna and mRNA-1273, our COVID-19 vaccine candidate, demonstrated by today's increased supply agreement with the European Commission" said Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna. "As we shift our focus now to prepare for the delivery of our vaccine candidate, pending a positive opinion from the EMA and other regulators, we remain committed to working with governments and partners globally to address this pandemic." Moderna's vaccine appeared set to receive regulatory authorization as early as Friday in the United States after a panel of outside advisers to the Food and Drug Administration endorsed its use with a 20-0 vote and one abstention that the vaccine's benefits outweighed its risks. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said coronavirus vaccinations would begin in the bloc on Dec. 27, assuming the vaccine manufactured jointly by BioNTech and Pfizer is approved by the EMA as expected next week. The European Union has supply deals with other vaccine makers, including for up to 300 million doses of Pfizer Inc and Biontech's shot. — SPA
