Under fire in EU, AstraZeneca CEO says COVID-19 vaccine output to increase in second quarter

AstraZeneca's Chief Executive Pascal Soriot said on Thursday he is "confident" the company will be able to increase production of its COVID-19 vaccine in the second quarter, as the company aims to boost European Union supplies after big cuts in the first three months of the year.

Soriot told European lawmakers the company aims to deliver doses from its international network, including the United States, so that it can meet volumes originally agreed for the second quarter in its deal with the European Union signed last year.

Lower-than-expected yields - the amount of vaccine that can be produced from base ingredients - at its factories hurt output in the first three months, he said.

His comments came as lawmakers grilled him about his company's plans to boost output and for an explanation about the shortfall in deliveries.

Executives from rival drugmakers that have developed or are testing COVID-19 vaccines, including Moderna Inc and Curevac NV were also part of the panel.

But most questions were directed at Soriot amid anger that the company has failed to deliver promised vaccine quantities to the bloc on schedule, disrupting vaccinations in the region while continuing to supply Britain.

Soriot said the company is trying to get 40 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine to the EU by the end of March, which is less than half the amount it promised in its contract for the quarter.

The EU, which has fallen far behind the United States and former member Britain in vaccinating its public, has repeatedly urged the firm to deliver more.

"I am disappointed that lower-than-expected output in our dedicated European supply chain has affected our ability to deliver," Soriot said. "We are doing everything that we can to deliver 40 million doses in the first quarter of 2021."

His pledge was in line with previous statements from the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker, which has long said it will not be able to fulfil the target of 90 million doses in the first quarter.

In his initial statement to the EU Parliament, Soriot made no reference to deliveries in the second quarter of the year, which should amount to 180 million doses under the contract.