Covid-19: Made in Italy bulk vaccines ‘in 4-6 months’

Rome: ‘Producing anti-covid vaccines in Italy from the autumn’ was the topic of a meeting between industry minister Giancarlo Giorgetti and representatives of Italy’s pharmaceutical industry Thursday.

Many companies in Italy would be ready to make bulk drug substance – the active ingredient and other components of the vaccines – “because they already have, or will soon have, the necessary bioreactors and fermentation equipment,” according to a statement from the industry ministry.

Giorgetti also confirmed the government’s desire to establish a centre in Italy for the research of drugs and vaccines, financed with public and private funds, Reuters reports.

Production of the bulk vaccines could potentially take off within four to six months, after regulators’ authorisation, the ministry statement said.

The head of Italian medicines agency AIFA and Italy’s new covid-19 emergency commissioner Francesco Paolo Figliuolo also attended the meeting, reports Italian news agency ANSA.