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Australia has secured access to 50 million doses of another two potential COVID-19 vaccines in a major boost in the fight against the global pandemic.
The earliest the vaccines could be rolled out - if proven to be effective against the virus - is March, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has confirmed.
It comes as researchers at Oxford University say their vaccine could be ready by Christmas.
Australia has two new agreements for a vaccine against the coronavirus, which will undergo further trials. (AP/AAP)
The Australian government has signed two new agreements with pharmaceutical companies Novavax and Pfizer.
It means Australia now has access to a total of four potential coronavirus vaccines.
"We're already at a massive advantage globally but these vaccines will help give real protection right across the country," Mr Hunt told Today.
"The most likely date for the health workers and the earliest vaccinations of elderly, if it's approved for them, will be in March and then progressively we will roll out through the year.
"But as soon as they are approved and safe and available, then we will make sure that they're available for the entire Australian population."
The deal with Novavax includes 40 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, NVX-CoV2373.
Trials have been ongoing on a potential coronavirus vaccine in Queensland. (9News)
The other vaccine candidate Australia has signed up to is from Pfizer, an MRNA type which takes longer to produce.
Both vaccine candidates will be manufactured in the US and in Europe, Mr Hunt said.
"They compliment the two that we already have which will be overwhelmingly manufactured in Australia," Mr Hunt said.
"That means we are now in a very strong position with the portfolio of four different vaccines, two protein, one viral vector and one MRMA which is the Pfizer vaccine and that's innovative - the world hasn't had an MRMA vaccine before.
"All of these put us in a strong position for a range of eventualities and it means that during the course of 2021, beginning in the first quarter most likely, we will be able to provide that vaccination option to all Australians."
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt says a coronavirus vaccine could be ready by March, if proven to be effective. (Nine / Today
The two new agreements has pushed Australia's total vaccine investment to $3.2 billion.
"The vast bulk of the funds would be provided on delivery of the vaccines," Mr Hunt said.
"There is an up front fee to reserve the right in each of those cases. But overwhelmingly, this is about payment on delivery."
The Novavax vaccine candidate is currently in late stage trials in the UK after some initial positive trials here.
Australian clinical researchers led the global Phase 1 clinical trial in August, involving 131 people across two trial sites in Melbourne and Brisbane.
A further 690 Australians took part in the Phase 2 arm of the clinical trial, done across 40 sites in Australia and the US.
Pfizer has manufactured hundreds of doses of the drug in Belgium. It cost as Astra Zeneca, the company behind the vaccine Australia has bought says the jab could be available as soon as Christmas (Nine)
Most of the participants have been aged 60 or over. The trials are looking to recruit members of the community most vulnerable to COVID-19 – including the elderly, those with underlying medical conditions as well as those from racially-diverse backgrounds.
The planned global Phase 3 clinical programs will assess immunity, safety and COVID-19 disease prevention.
The vaccine is expected to require two doses per person, given 21 days apart.
Oxford vaccine could be ready 'by year end'
Meanwhile, the chair of Britain's coronavirus vaccine task force says data evaluating the efficacy and safety of the two most advanced candidates should be available in early December.
Kate Bingham told a Parliamentary committee on Wednesday that data on the two vaccine candidates — developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca and Pfizer and BioNTech — should be available by then.
After that, the vaccine candidates will need regulatory approval, Ms Bingham said.
"If we get that, we have the possibility of deploying by year end," she said.
A volunteer is injected with AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine as part of the trial. (University of Oxford/AP)
Ms Bingham acknowledged despite the government's earlier estimate there would be 30 million doses of the Oxford vaccine available by September, there only will be about four million doses available by the end of the year, due to some manufacturing "hiccups" that have since been resolved. She said there would be about 10 million doses of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine.
Dr Robin Shattock, one of the scientists behind another vaccine developed by Imperial College London, said it was possible several vaccines would be needed to stop the pandemic.
"The first vaccines may reach the bar of preventing severe disease, but they may not necessarily block transmission," he said.
Dr Shattock said later vaccines likely will be more potent, but it remained unclear how long immunity lasts and "most likely they will need to be boosted".
- Reported with Associated Press
The earliest the vaccines could be rolled out - if proven to be effective against the virus - is March, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has confirmed.
It comes as researchers at Oxford University say their vaccine could be ready by Christmas.
Australia has two new agreements for a vaccine against the coronavirus, which will undergo further trials. (AP/AAP)
The Australian government has signed two new agreements with pharmaceutical companies Novavax and Pfizer.
It means Australia now has access to a total of four potential coronavirus vaccines.
"We're already at a massive advantage globally but these vaccines will help give real protection right across the country," Mr Hunt told Today.
"The most likely date for the health workers and the earliest vaccinations of elderly, if it's approved for them, will be in March and then progressively we will roll out through the year.
"But as soon as they are approved and safe and available, then we will make sure that they're available for the entire Australian population."
The deal with Novavax includes 40 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, NVX-CoV2373.
Trials have been ongoing on a potential coronavirus vaccine in Queensland. (9News)
The other vaccine candidate Australia has signed up to is from Pfizer, an MRNA type which takes longer to produce.
Both vaccine candidates will be manufactured in the US and in Europe, Mr Hunt said.
"They compliment the two that we already have which will be overwhelmingly manufactured in Australia," Mr Hunt said.
"That means we are now in a very strong position with the portfolio of four different vaccines, two protein, one viral vector and one MRMA which is the Pfizer vaccine and that's innovative - the world hasn't had an MRMA vaccine before.
"All of these put us in a strong position for a range of eventualities and it means that during the course of 2021, beginning in the first quarter most likely, we will be able to provide that vaccination option to all Australians."
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt says a coronavirus vaccine could be ready by March, if proven to be effective. (Nine / Today
The two new agreements has pushed Australia's total vaccine investment to $3.2 billion.
"The vast bulk of the funds would be provided on delivery of the vaccines," Mr Hunt said.
"There is an up front fee to reserve the right in each of those cases. But overwhelmingly, this is about payment on delivery."
The Novavax vaccine candidate is currently in late stage trials in the UK after some initial positive trials here.
Australian clinical researchers led the global Phase 1 clinical trial in August, involving 131 people across two trial sites in Melbourne and Brisbane.
A further 690 Australians took part in the Phase 2 arm of the clinical trial, done across 40 sites in Australia and the US.
Pfizer has manufactured hundreds of doses of the drug in Belgium. It cost as Astra Zeneca, the company behind the vaccine Australia has bought says the jab could be available as soon as Christmas (Nine)
Most of the participants have been aged 60 or over. The trials are looking to recruit members of the community most vulnerable to COVID-19 – including the elderly, those with underlying medical conditions as well as those from racially-diverse backgrounds.
The planned global Phase 3 clinical programs will assess immunity, safety and COVID-19 disease prevention.
The vaccine is expected to require two doses per person, given 21 days apart.
Oxford vaccine could be ready 'by year end'
Meanwhile, the chair of Britain's coronavirus vaccine task force says data evaluating the efficacy and safety of the two most advanced candidates should be available in early December.
Kate Bingham told a Parliamentary committee on Wednesday that data on the two vaccine candidates — developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca and Pfizer and BioNTech — should be available by then.
After that, the vaccine candidates will need regulatory approval, Ms Bingham said.
"If we get that, we have the possibility of deploying by year end," she said.
A volunteer is injected with AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine as part of the trial. (University of Oxford/AP)
Ms Bingham acknowledged despite the government's earlier estimate there would be 30 million doses of the Oxford vaccine available by September, there only will be about four million doses available by the end of the year, due to some manufacturing "hiccups" that have since been resolved. She said there would be about 10 million doses of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine.
Dr Robin Shattock, one of the scientists behind another vaccine developed by Imperial College London, said it was possible several vaccines would be needed to stop the pandemic.
"The first vaccines may reach the bar of preventing severe disease, but they may not necessarily block transmission," he said.
Dr Shattock said later vaccines likely will be more potent, but it remained unclear how long immunity lasts and "most likely they will need to be boosted".
- Reported with Associated Press
