EU secures AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine deal as Britain links with J&J

The European Commission said the deal included an option to purchase 100 million additional doses from the drugmaker

The EU said over the past two weeks it was in advanced talks with Johnson & Johnson and Sanofi for their vaccines under development. File picture

The EU has agreed to buy at least 300 million doses of AstraZeneca’s potential Covid-19 vaccine in its first such advance purchase deal, while Britain has lined up potential supply of vaccines from US drugmakers Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and Novavax. 

The European Commission, which is negotiating on behalf of all 27 EU member states, said the deal included an option to purchase 100 million additional doses from the drugmaker should its vaccine prove safe and effective.