AstraZeneca expands COVID-19 vaccine supply tie-up with Oxford Biomedica

AstraZeneca has expanded its agreement with Oxford Biomedica to make and supply the drugmaker's COVID-19 vaccine candidate, in a deal that will pay the gene and cell therapy firm 15 million pounds ($20 million) upfront and an additional 35 million pounds plus other costs by the end of 2021.

Oxford Biomedica said in a statement that under the deal it would mass-produce the potential vaccine, AZD1222, for the novel coronavirus for a period of 18 months, which may be further extended by another 18 months into 2022 and 2023.