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BRAZIL, Nov. 22 (Reuters) – The Brazilian Health Ministry said Sunday it will sign non-binding letters of intent to purchase coronavirus vaccines from four companies and the Russian sovereign wealth fund, adding that any purchases will depend on approval of the regulators of the nation.
According to the ministry, officials met last week with representatives from Pfizer Inc, India Bharat Biotech, Russian Direct Investment Fund, Moderna Inc, and Janssen, a unit of Johnson & Johnson.
In a statement, the ministry said its legal and technical departments were analyzing the documents submitted by the five entities and determining the best way to purchase vaccines “at the right time.”
The government has entered into contracts to grant access to 142,900,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine, enough to immunize at least a third of the Brazilian population, officials said in the statement.
So far, the Brazilian federal government’s main bet is on a vaccine developed by AstraZeneca PLC, with which it has already signed a supply contract.
In São Paulo, the largest state in Brazil, local authorities have signed an agreement with China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd to test and manufacture a vaccine locally. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, a longtime critic of China, dismissed that vaccine as unreliable, without presenting evidence. (Reporting by Marcela Ayres; Writing by Gram Slattery)
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