The UK no longer wants the Valneva vaccine. The British government has sent “a notice of termination” concerning “the supply agreement” of this candidate vaccine against Covid-19, said in a press release the Franco-Austrian laboratory which produces it. “The contract includes a clause allowing the British government to terminate it. He further claims that Valneva failed to meet its obligations, which Valneva vigorously contests, ”indicates, without further details, the laboratory to which the United Kingdom had ordered 100 million doses for 2021-2022.
Valneva uses a vaccine with deactivated virus, a technology more traditional than the RNA, and which is used in particular for the vaccines against the flu each year. He had submitted his request for authorization to the British health authorities in August.
“Valneva worked tirelessly”
The laboratory had indicated at the end of August that on the basis of the phase I and II trials, it hoped “to have a vaccine which is effective in a manner greater than 80%”. “We will have to demonstrate this in the phase III trial,” said CEO Franck Grimaud. “Valneva has worked tirelessly, and invested to the maximum of its abilities”, in its collaboration with the British government, “in particular by committing significant resources and by showing a very strong implication in order to respond to [ses] requests for vaccines suitable for variants ”, highlights the laboratory on Monday.
He indicates that he “continues to be fully engaged in the development” of his vaccine candidate, VLA2001, and that he “will increase his efforts with other potential customers to ensure that his inactivated vaccine can be used in the fight against the pandemic ”.
Phase 3 results still awaited
Valneva recalls that the results of phase III trials – intended to prove the real effectiveness of a treatment before a possible marketing – “are expected at the beginning of the fourth quarter”.
These results “will be part of the progressive submission of the application for conditional authorization of VLA2001 to the British health agency”. Subject to phase III results and approval from the UK health agency, Valneva believes that an initial marketing authorization for VLA2001 could be obtained “by the end of 2021”.