BioNTech says offering 50 mln needles to extract more vaccine doses

BioNTech is selling 50 million specialty needles at no profit to countries struggling to extract an extra sixth dose from vials of its COVID-19 vaccine, while Europe's immunisation campaign is hobbled by a temporary supply shortfall.

European Union countries have been rushing to secure supplies of special syringes with so-called low dead space that are needed to eliminate waste of vaccine when administering the shots.

"BioNTech purchased low dead space needles which work with multiple syringes and is offering a supply with the low dead space needles to countries around the world on a cost-covering basis," it said in a written statement to Reuters.