A healthcare worker holds a vial of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine at a pop-up vaccination site operated by SOMOS Community Care during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S., January 29, 2021. REUTERS/Mike
Moderna Inc said on Friday a shortfall in COVID-19 vaccine doses from its European supply chain will lead to a delay in deliveries to some countries including Canada.
Canada had earlier said the drugmaker would be delivering only 650,000 doses by April end as opposed to 1.2 million, and that one to two million doses of the 12.3 million doses scheduled for delivery in the second quarter would be delayed until the third.
Moderna officials in Europe did not immediately comment on the reason for the shortfalls in the second quarter or give the total number of countries that would be impacted.
"Vaccine manufacturing is a highly complex process and a number of elements, including human and material resources have factored into this volatility," said Patricia Gauthier, an executive at Moderna Canada.
Swiss contract drug manufacturer Lonza makes active ingredients for Moderna's vaccine in Visp, but it is still ramping up three new production lines that only once fully operational would have a capacity to produce 300 million shots annually.
