Pharmalittle: Pfizer and Moderna raise Covid-19 vaccine prices for Europe; FDA to speed full approval of Pfizer shot

By Ed Silverman Aug. 2, 2021

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Good morning, everyone, and welcome to another working week. We hope the weekend respite — which was extended, in our case — was refreshing and invigorating, because the predictable routine of online meetings, calls, and deadlines has returned. But what can you do? After all, the world keeps spinning, despite what conspiracy theorists may say. So time to get cracking and fire up the coffee kettle. Meanwhile, here are a few tidbits to help you get oriented. We hope your day is productive and you conquer the world. And do stay in touch. …

Pfizer (PFE) and Moderna (MRNA) raised the prices of their Covid-19 vaccines in their latest European Union supply contracts, The Financial Times reports. The new price for the Pfizer shot was $23.15 compared with $18.39. The price of a Moderna vaccine was $25.50 a dose, the contracts show, up from about $22.50 in the first procurement deal, but lower than the previously agreed $28.50 because the order had grown. Last week, Pfizer raised its forecast for sales of its Covid-19 vaccine this year to about $33.5 billion, a nearly 30% increase.

Under heavy pressure, the Food and Drug Administration is planning to deprioritize some of its existing work, such as meetings with drug makers and plant inspections, in order to accelerate its review of Pfizer’s application for formal approval of its Covid-19 vaccine, STAT reports. The Pfizer vaccine is currently authorized for emergency use, which allows the company to sell its shot for as long as Covid-19 is considered a public health emergency. But with Covid-19 still raging and the Delta variant spreading, the FDA is being urged to expedite full approval.

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