AstraZeneca secures orders for virus vaccine under testing

LONDON (AP) — Drug maker AstraZeneca has secured the first agreements Thursday for 400 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine that is being trialed.

The Anglo-Swedish company reported it had received more than $1 billion from the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority for the development, production and delivery of the vaccine, starting this fall.

AstraZeneca chief executive Pascal Soriot says the investment will accelerate the development and production of the vaccine.

He says the company will “do everything in our power to make this vaccine quickly and widely available.”

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