MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Astra-Zeneca vaccines produced jointly by Mexico and Argentina almost ready for delivery

Ebrard and Tomada toured the Liomont plant in the state of Queretaro.

The first batch of Oxford-Astra Zeneca anticoronavirus vaccines produced jointly by Mexico and Argentina are almost ready to start shipping, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard announced Wednesday.

After touring the Liomont factory in the state of Queretaro with Argentine Ambassador Carlos Tomada, Ebrard explained final approval from AstraZeneca is being expected before shipping can begin. It is estimated to be happening between May 24 and 25.

”We have already verified that Liomont has already delivered the corresponding batches to Cofepris (Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks) for their review and they will be finishing approximately the first batch on May 24 or 25,” Ebrard said.

Part of these first batches is destined for Argentina, which has supplied the active ingredient of the immunizer.

Mexico's Cofepris is already analyzing the first batches of the vaccine and authorization from AstraZeneca is expected to arrive no later than next Monday.

This vaccine is the result of the agreement promoted by the Slim Foundation for the governments of Mexico and Argentina to produce locally the vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.

The active substance was developed at the Argentine mAbxience factory and shipped in bulk to Mexico last February for packaging at the Mexican company Liomont, where it suffered several delays due to lack of supplies from the United States.

The agreements were signed in August last year and are intended to produce 150 to 250 million doses for all of Latin America.

Ebrard explained that half the total output is for use within Mexico and the rest will go to various countries in the region. “Around 55% stays in Mexico, the rest is distributed in Latin America”, Ebrard said.