Get To Know 11 COVID-19 Vaccine Manufacturers From Around The World

Ever since a number of COVID 19 vaccines have been successfully developed, competition for COVID-19 vaccine inoculations has intensified day by day. Anxiety and pressure from the general public to quickly establish herd immunity as soon as possible has led to a push in vaccinations that would eventually stop COVID-19 in its tracks. 

Various pharmaceutical companies - in conjunction with the expertise of modern scientists - from all over the world are racing to create a vaccine for the COVID-19 infection that has paralyzed the world since 2019. As we can see, most of these efforts have finally paid off, as some vaccines already penetrated the world market, whilst some are being distributed to the public as we speak.

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11 COVID-19 Vaccine Manufacturers

Here are 11 leading companies from all over the world that have successfully developed or concurrently developing the COVID-19 vaccine. Let’s look into a few minor details about the vaccines and their respective manufacturer backgrounds. 

1. Pfizer-BioNTech

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is the product of a collaboration between two companies. Known as a very well established multinational pharmaceutical corporation, Pfizer was founded in 1849 in New York City, USA. BioNTech, on the other hand, is a German biotechnological company founded in 2008. Its main expertise is in the field of mRNA vaccine development, a new feat of vaccine technology. 

When experience (Pfizer) meets expertise (BioNTech), it goes without saying that the people's expectations are indeed very high on this collaboration. Hence it would come as no surprise when they successfully developed the first WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccine.   

The Pfizer vaccine is the first corona virus vaccine that arrived in Malaysia in February 2021. It was used to launch the National COVID-19 Immunization Program Plan.

2. Moderna 

The Moderna vaccine was developed by a significantly smaller & younger pharmaceutical company compared to the giant corporations such as Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and AstraZeneca. Moderna was established in 2010 and is based in Cambridge, USA. It is a company that focuses specifically on vaccine development and manufacture. 

Interestingly, Moderna is one of the pioneering innovators in the field of DNA & mRNA vaccine. However, due to the fact that the company is still growing and has limited manufacturing facilities & production capabilities, they are only able to market their product to a few countries and placing a heftier price compared to other vaccines in order to ensure the company's stability. 

3. AstraZeneca-Oxford

The AstraZeneca vaccine is a collaboration product between the world's renowned university (Oxford University) and also one of the giants of the pharmaceutical industry (AstraZeneca). The multinational Anglo-Swedish corporation was established in 1999. Whilst partnering with Oxford University, it has developed an adenovirus type COVID-19 vaccine using contemporary technology. 

Interestingly, the pharmaceutical company & Oxford University has also pledged to not make a profit out of their vaccines. Thus making the procurement and operation cost of the COVID-19 UK vaccine to be among the cheapest in the market at this very moment. 

Despite being approved by the WHO and the European Union, it still needs a final few clinical adjustments to ensure the vaccine's efficacy is at its highest potential. The company will also be taking a very proactive step by working closely with Gamaleya Research Institute of Russia, citing it to be for the best interest of the world community.

4. Sinopharm

Sinopharm is a large pharmaceutical corporation from China (with massive production facilities) that has been established in 2003. Interestingly, it has research centers in Beijing and Wuhan, the latter being notable as the city where COVID-19 was suspected to originate from.

This led to the company having slight advantages yet massive responsibility in ensuring that the right COVID-19 vaccine is being developed.

In addition, similar to its western counterpart, most Chinese vaccine developers have taken extra steps in collaborating with the international community. Such commitment can be seen as they pledge to join the COVAX initiative. A global platform led by WHO, GAVI & CEPI to ensure that the distribution of vaccines can be carried out fairly across the globe - especially to third world countries.

5. Sinovac 

Sinovac was established in 2001 and is located in Beijing. It is one of few companies that has successfully developed SARS vaccine candidates when the world was hit by the virus epidemic in the year 2002-2004. This is indeed a vital incident since SARS and COVID-19 are both viruses of the coronavirus family. Hence developing their COVID-19 vaccine subsequently was made easier and significantly faster. 

Sinovac is also one of the pharmaceutical companies that is very open to international cooperation. This is evidenced by their inaugural collaboration with Turkey, Indonesia and Brazil since early 2020. Interestingly, Sinovac is also planning to build a bilateral partnership with one of our very own local companies (Pharmaniaga) soon - after getting approval from the Malaysian regulatory agencies. With such a partnership, it is expected that our local industry will play an integral part throughout the bottling process (fill & finish) of the COVID-19 vaccine in Malaysia.

6. CanSino

CanSino is the third company from China to successfully produce the COVID-19 vaccine in 2020. Although considered the smallest and youngest company among the three vaccine developers representing China, CanSino Biologics have proven their mettle when they successfully developed their very own vaccines namely for diseases related to tuberculosis, pneumococcal infections, adenovirus infections, and Ebola a few years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.   

Interestingly, the company will produce the COVID-19 vaccine in spray form. If successful it can certainly give more comfort to individuals with a phobia of syringes. This could ideally lead to a significant boost in attracting wide ranges of individuals to voluntarily participate in the immunization campaign. 

CanSino Biologics also plans on collaborating with a Malaysian company - Solution Biologics Sdn Bhd. It is also hoped that with such cooperation, the local industries will develop enough expertise and technological superiority to create Malaysia’s COVID-19 vaccine one day.

7. Gamaleya Research Institut 

Gamaleya Research Institute is one of the local (Russian) research institutions that are experts in the field of epidemiology & microbiology. Located in Moscow, the Gamaleya Institution is slightly different from other vaccine developers as they are under the direct jurisdiction of the Russian Ministry of Health. 

Gamaleya is the name of a renowned Russian scientist from the 20th century named Nikolay Fyodorovich Gamaleya, a national figure who specializes in microbiology and vaccine research.

They managed to create an advanced (adenovirus vector) vaccine via the newly developed hybrid concept & technology. In fact, they are in their final phase to develop Sputnik V further by enabling it to be manufactured in powder form.  Achieving that would significantly ease the logistical aspect of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution process across various regions around the world.

8. Bharat Biotech

Bharat Biotech is a biotechnology company from Hyderabad, India. Founded in 1996, the company is highly skilled and has extensive experience in the field of vaccine research, processing & production. They have succeeded in producing the first India COVID-19 vaccine and will soon market the product in the US.

India itself is the largest exporter of vaccines worldwide. By 2021 it has produced 60% of the world's vaccines. These include HiB, Polio, DPT, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Hepatitis B and other vaccines. This is because India has the largest vaccine manufacturing center in the world. This massive facility is helmed by the Serum Institute of India in Pune. 

9. Janssen Pharmaseuticals

Janssen Pharmaceuticals is a subsidiary of a giant corporation named Johnson & Johnson. Truth be told, most Malaysian would definitely be familiar with that name. Johnson & Johnson as we know is one of the popular brands that offer children and baby health & hygiene products. The company itself has 8 research & 9 industrial healthcare centers throughout different countries across Europe.

What is unique about Janssen’s and CanSinoBIO’s vaccine - as compared to the others - is that they both managed to develop a vaccine that requires only one jab. This is truly remarkable, as most if not all the other vaccines require two shots to trigger the immunization needed to protect us from the COVID-19 virus. This success will definitely have a huge impact on the world community & health institutions.

10. Novavax

Founded in 1987 in Maryland, USA, it is one of the companies that has remarkable experience and expertise in dealing with pathogens from the coronavirus family. Novavax is notable for being one of the biotechnology companies that successfully created the MERS virus vaccine candidate, an initiative to counter the MERS epidemic known to originate from infected camels across the Middle East around the year 2012. 

Did you know that MERS, SARS & COVID-19 came from the same family root? They are indeed similar to one another yet totally different in terms of their worldwide impact. But more importantly, so far there are no specific drugs to treat these three infections that came from the coronavirus family. Thus, mass vaccination followed by herd immunity and the new norms would be our best option so far.

Novavax is one of the companies that cooperates directly with the global organization CEPI in producing vaccines for the world community, especially for underprivileged countries.

11. PT Bio Farma

    PT Bio Farma is a company from Bandung, Indonesia that was established in 1980. It is the first company in Southeast Asia that will be collaborating with a large vaccine manufacturing company (Sinovac). The joint venture would be the much-needed stimulus towards the creation of first Indonesia's coronavirus vaccine.

    According to the Indonesian Minister of Research and Technology, they are targeting the local vaccine to be produced on a large scale as early as the fourth quarter of 2021. Therefore, various local research & technology institutions are racing to develop the national vaccine which has already gotten its name - Merah Putih. 

    Among the competing institutions includes the Eijkman Molecular Institution (protein subunit vaccine), Bandung Institute of Technology (adenovirus vector vaccine), Udayana University (mRNA vaccine) and the University of Indonesia (DNA vaccine). However, only one institution (that has successfully developed a stable vaccine candidate) will collaborate with PT Bio Farma - to further its clinical & industrial phase.

Conclusion

    All of the relentless effort shown above by various corporations & institutions (in developing the COVID-19 vaccine) should be welcomed with an open heart and immense appreciation. Indirectly, it goes to show how healthy competition not only drives quality assurance but also ensures the market prices of jabs remain at a justified rate. More importantly, this kind of global momentum surely promises that the supply of vaccines will meet its demand. This is one of the utmost importance so that each country has enough to inoculate its citizens, hence reaching the targeted herd immunity as soon as possible and end this pandemic.

​Stay healthy and get vaccinated (other than COVID19) by our doctor!​