US will likely get French coronavirus vaccine before other countries

The US will likely get a promising French COVID-19 vaccine before the rest of the world — because it was first to pour millions into the drug’s research, according to a report Wednesday.

The pharmaceutical giant Sanofi — which has vowed to rapidly create the vaccine — will send doses to the US before the rest of Europe if the firm can successfully deliver it, according to Bloomberg News.

“The US government has the right to the largest pre-order because it’s invested in taking the risk,” Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson told the outlet. “It’s how it will be because they’ve invested to try and protect their population, to restart their economy.”

The US has already funded $30 million in research for the company — which aims to make 600 million doses annually — via its Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. A partnership between the agency and the drug company was expanded in February.

Hudson said the relationship should serve as a “model” of how government collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry should work. China is also at the forefront of mobilizing efforts to develop a vaccine, he said.

“So those two powerhouse economies will be vaccinated first, which is why it became so important to try to create a debate in Europe to say, ‘Don’t let Europe be left behind,’” he said.

He urged European countries to step up funding of drug research to fight a pandemic that has killed more than 290,000 people worldwide.

But while the investment puts the US first in line for vaccine doses, it may only be days or weeks ahead of other countries, Hudson said.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are spearheading an $8 billion fund drive to support equitable distribution of vaccines.

The country that’s first to bring the coronavirus vaccine to the market will likely claim ownership over its distribution process, experts said.

“We cannot even trade with each other without getting into questions of tariffs, and so on,” said Krishna Kumar, a senior economist and director of international research at the RAND Corp think tank.

“It’s not going to be easy to come up with arrangements.”

The US has a longstanding relationship with Sanofi, including granting it a $226 million award in December to increase its pandemic influenza vaccine production capabilities.