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 The company is working on two of the more than 150 potential
vaccines being developed across the world to tackle the COVID-19
pandemic, which has claimed more than 831,000 lives and sparked
economic chaos.
One candidate, to be manufactured on the back of an existing
platform that develops vaccines to treat flu, will use an adjuvant
made by Britain's GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to boost its efficacy.
The other, being developed with U.S. company Translate Bio, relies
on a different technology known as mRNA.
"The early data is saying that we're on the right track and that we
have a vaccine," Paul Hudson said in an interview on Friday,
referring to the vaccine being developed with GSK.
That vaccine is set to start clinical trials next month.
Around 30 experimental coronavirus shots are already in human
trials. But Hudson said in June the probability of Sanofi obtaining
a vaccine with an efficacy of more than 70% was higher than for
rivals, in part due to its experience in vaccines.
"Our confidence has increased. We have work to do like everybody on
manufacturing in large volumes. But we will have one, maybe two
vaccines next year," Hudson said.
Translate Bio said on Tuesday the mRNA vaccine had induced an immune
response in non-human studies, with trials in humans expected to
start in November.
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Sanofi has secured deals for the vaccine-plus-adjuvant with the United States
and Britain, and is in advanced talks with the European Union to supply it with
up to 300 million doses.
But the EU is offering only partial protection to vaccine makers against legal
risks from side-effects of their potential shots, European officials said
earlier this week, in a move that is hampering deals and contrasts with U.S.
policy.
"I think with the level of protection, we have reached an 'agreed level'. And I
think that has allowed us to go forward and sign. But I am aware there are
different positions on how strong that is," Hudson said.
With vaccines being developed at record speed during the pandemic, there is
potentially a greater risk they may have unexpected consequences or may not be
effective.
The financial coverage of these liabilities is a key feature of drugmakers'
talks with governments keen to secure vaccine shots in advance.
There is so far no approved coronavirus vaccine, except one authorised in Russia
before large-scale trials.
(Reporting by Matthias Blamont; Editing by Mark Potter)
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