Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine candidate tapped by HHS for large-scale production

The Department of Health and Humans Services today said it has an agreement with Pfizer to produce and deliver 100 million doses of the drug maker’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

The agreement, which also includes the Department of Defense and is contingent on the vaccine’s successful manufacture and approval, allows the U.S. government to acquire an additional 500 million doses, provided that the Food and Drug Administration issues an emergency use authorization or licensure for safety and efficacy in a large Phase 3 clinical trial.