Moderna plans to increase COVID-19 vaccine doses in each vial from 10 to 15
The move would boost output with faster manufacturing runs
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Moderna’s president, Dr. Stephen Hoge, plans to tell lawmakers Tuesday that the company received "positive feedback" from the Food and Drug Administration to increase the doses in each vial of vaccine from 10 to 15.
"The FDA has given us positive feedback on our proposal, and we are pursuing a plan that may allow up to 15 doses to be drawn from each vial," reads prepared testimony to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. "This will allow us to produce and deliver more doses more quickly."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In the prepared statement, Hoge said the move would boost output with faster manufacturing runs, and ease the strain for materials in high demand.
Hoge said the company is on track to deliver 100 million doses for its two-dose vaccine by the end of March, with 300 million doses available by the end of July. Moderna intends to double its monthly shipments again in April, reaching over 40 million doses each month.
Moderna did not immediately respond to Fox News' requests for comment Tuesday morning. A spokesperson for the FDA told Fox News in an emailed statement that the agency "cannot comment on any discussions it may or may not be having with a manufacturer about its product."
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President Joe Biden previously said that the U.S. is on track to deliver more than 600 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine between Moderna and Pfizer by the end of July. If Johnson & Johnson clears regulatory hurdles for its vaccine candidate, the U.S. could have some 700 million doses by mid-year, more than enough doses to vaccinate the entire population.