COVID-19 Vaccine: Do We Have Enough Manufacturing Capacity?

As per a recent article published in Financial Times, Sanofi has warned that Europe lacks the vaccine manufacturing capacity to cope with pandemics like the coronavirus. Roots Analysis, in a recent report, has identified more than 40 vaccines that the currently being developed against COVID-19. To know more about the vaccines under development, check out the report here.

Prior to COVID-19 as well, the vaccine manufacturing industry was facing its share of challenges. The industry has historically been impacted by complex production protocols and prohibitive entry costs. As a result, the vaccine manufacturing capacity is localized to only a limited number of large players.

COVID-19 Vaccine Manufacturing

Vaccine manufacturing is a complex process involving multiple steps. A brief overview of the various steps has been highlighted below:

1. Antigen generation
2. Antigen release and isolation
3. Purification
4. Adjuvant addition
5. Packaging

Owing to the complexity, and known concerns in this space, the vaccine developers have preferred to outsource several drug product-related operations to contract manufacturers. In fact, Roots Analysis has identified over 70 contract manufacturers that offer services for vaccine manufacturing. The infographics below present a brief overview of the vaccine contract manufacturing market.

Where are Vaccine Contract Manufacturers Based?

The majority of vaccine contract manufacturers are currently based in North America and Europe. However, Asian countries, such as India, also contribute significantly to global vaccine production. Recently, Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, announced a collaboration with two US-based companies to develop a COVID-19 vaccine.

Innovation in Vaccine Manufacturing Market

One of the key innovations in the industry is the adoption of single-use solutions. These solutions have helped the vaccine manufacturers to address sterile filtration challenges in vaccine production. Another innovation that has allowed the growth of the vaccine manufacturing industry is the rise of novel viral vectors for vaccine delivery/manufacturing.

Expert Opinion

In a recent report, Roots Analysis interviewed several key stakeholders to understand their opinion on the vaccine manufacturing market. The stakeholders highlighted key trends that are helping shape the contract manufacturing industry.

For the pharmaceutical industry to address the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, it is important for the players to pool resources. The contract manufacturers can offer key capabilities and capacity to accelerate the development of a novel COVID-19 vaccine. To know more about the contract manufacturers across different regions, drop a note at rohit.kumar@rootsanalysis.com.