AstraZeneca announces agreement with Carlos Slim Foundation to supply COVID-19 vaccine to Latin America

AstraZeneca has signed an agreement with the Carlos Slim Foundation, a Mexican non-profit organization, to contribute to manufacture in Argentina and Mexico, and distribute the COVID-19 potential vaccine AZD1222 at no profit during the pandemic for Latin America. This agreement will initially supply 150 million doses to Latin America, excluding Brazil, which will be covered by the AstraZeneca agreement with the Brazilian Government, announced last June.  First shipments are expected in the first half of 2021, should clinical trials prove to be successful.

AstraZeneca recognizes the urgency of the global pandemic and will work together with partners to supply and make the vaccine available in an equitable manner. AstraZeneca is working with Latin American strategic partners, including Argentina and Mexico taking advantage of their supply capacity to facilitate the early availability of the potential vaccine.

This is another important milestone in AstraZeneca response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in its efforts to ensure broad and equitable access of the potential vaccine. Recently, the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca announced interim results of a UK Phase I/II clinical trial showing robust immune responses against the SARS-CoV2 virus in all participants.

Sylvia Varela, Country President of AstraZeneca Mexico, said: “We are very proud of the work that AstraZeneca is doing at the forefront of science and with the rest of the industry to help save lives and mitigate the devastating humanitarian, social and economic consequences of this global pandemic. In particular, we are very pleased to be part of an alliance with Latin American partners where the only objective will be to provide rapid and equitable access to this vaccine in Mexico and our Latin American countries.”

Carlos Slim Foundation expressed: “ “We are deeply concerned about collaborating to fight this unprecedented pandemic that is having great impact in health, economy and employment, with consequences for people and their families. We are very troubled about the loss of so many lives, as well as the impact on global economy and employment. Based on the research leaded by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca, a potential vaccine is being developed that it’s on phase 3 with encouraging expectations, consequently we have decided to join the effort for its production in Mexico and Argentina and then, to initiate the supply to Latin America. If its efficacy and security are proven and approved by health regulatory authorities, it will contribute decisively to avoid further loss of life and would allow a return to normality.”