Contract drug manufacturer Catalent Inc. expands its US production of Moderna Inc.’s Covid-19 vaccine out, a development that could ensure that the US has an adequate supply as vaccinations get underway.
Catalent has reached an agreement with Moderna that will increase vaccine production at contract manufacturer Bloomington, Ind., To about 400 vials per minute this month, according to people familiar with the matter.
Catalent will shift production of the shot to one faster production line from two slower ones. New doses will be ready to ship from next month, people said, and the upgraded factory will be able to fill an additional 80 million bottles per year.
The expansion will help Moderna achieve its goal of delivering an additional 100 million doses to the US by the end of May and an additional 100 million doses by the end of July.
The US production of several authorized vaccines has gained momentum in recent weeks as manufacturers have scaled up production lines and taken other steps to increase production.