The World Health Organization (WHO) expects to reject Medicago’s candidate vaccine against COVID-19 due to the pharmaceutical’s ties to the tobacco industry.
The “Covifenz” vaccine, from the Quebec-based company Medicago, was approved by Health Canada last month.
Dr. Mariângela Simão, WHO’s deputy director-general for access to medicines, vaccines and pharmaceuticals, said on Thursday that Medicago’s application for an emergency use license for Covifenz will likely be denied. , because the policies of the organization are very strict concerning the links of manufacturers with tobacco companies.
Since 2008, Philip Morris Investments, a subsidiary of Philip Morris International (PMI), has been a shareholder of Medicago with a participation of approximately one third, can be read on the PMI website.
“The process is therefore suspended,” said Mr.me Simão during a WHO press briefing. It is very likely that it will not be accepted for the Emergency Use License. »
Medicago’s president, Takashi Nagao, wrote in a press release that the pharmaceutical had not received an “official communication” from the WHO. “We understand that this decision is related to Medicago’s minority shareholder and not the demonstrated safety and efficacy profile of our COVID-19 vaccine,” he said.
A Medicago spokesperson said the company was only told the application was pending. He also recalls that the decision of the WHO is not linked to the safety or effectiveness of the vaccine against COVID-19.
Canada has signed a contract to buy up to 76 million doses of Covifenz, but its vaccine strategy now relies solely on mRNA vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.
If the WHO denies Medicago’s request, Canada will not be able to donate doses of Covifenz to COVAX.
Ottawa reaction
Federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos stressed Thursday that “the WHO decision has not yet been made” and that the federal government is working with Medicago to “ensure that its relationship with the are done correctly” and that the information is “perfectly shared”. Mr. Duclos declined to say whether Canada has asked the WHO to bend its rules.
He insisted that Medicago’s vaccine has been licensed by Health Canada, “a globally recognized regulatory agency,” and that it could be “good for many more human beings across the planet.”
Canada invested $173 million in Medicago in 2020 to support development of the Covifenz vaccine and help Medicago expand its production facility in Quebec. He has also signed a contract to buy at least 20 million doses, with options for 56 million more.
Mr. Takashi confirmed that Canada is currently Medicago’s first and only customer, but added that discussions are ongoing with other entities. Medicago has not yet said whether it has sought approval elsewhere in the world. “We cannot comment further on these discussions as they are confidential,” he said.
The Medicago vaccine was approved for use by Health Canada on February 24 for people 18 to 64 years old. The safety and effectiveness of this vaccine in people younger than 18 and older than 64 have not yet been determined.
Canada had planned to donate any excess dose of vaccine to low-income countries through COVAX. COVAX can only use vaccines for which the WHO has granted an emergency use license, so a rejection from Medicago could limit the countries around the world where the vaccine can be used.
With Duty