From Google translate:
The Mainz biopharmaceutical company Biontech is reaping the fruits of its vaccine efforts. In the quarter from April to June, profits rose to 2.7 billion euros, the company announced in an online presentation on Monday.
The entire amount is due to payments made for those of the company; The US partner Pfizer recorded a large part of this in the USA. In the previous year there was still a loss due to research expenditure and the absence of marketable products. Sales climbed to 5.3 billion euros, which suggests a very decent profit margin with the vaccine.
Biontech sets a record in the pharmaceutical industry
The current billion-dollar profit is just the beginning. With the orders for Covid vaccinations it has received so far, Biontech expects sales of 15.9 billion euros. It is the largest bundle of orders for a single drug in the history of the pharmaceutical industry.
Vaccine manufacturer Biontech rejects allegations
The company's insistence on the third vaccination also arouses suspicion: three instead of two doses for a large part of the population, that also means a third more sales for the providers. Since Biontech also insists that the complete vaccination provides good protection against Delta, profit interests could be in the foreground here.
Biontech, however, rejects this interpretation. The company gives scientific reasons for the refreshment: In both older and younger study participants, the number of antibodies already decreased significantly half a year after the full vaccination. In the over 65s it even fell below the detection limit. "For these target groups, we recommend a third dose seven to nine months after the second dose as a booster," said Co-Chef Özlem Türeci.
Biontech plans to apply for approval for the refresher soon. The company is preparing to develop its own active ingredient against Delta, but considers the existing product to be completely sufficient. It may not always protect against infection, but according to Türeci it almost always prevents a severe course - even with Delta.
The EU Commission has ordered 900 million doses from Biontech in order to be able to vaccinate Europeans a third time if necessary. There is also an option for a further 900 million cans. With a recently increased price of 19.50 euros per dose, that means a payment of 35 billion euros in purely mathematical terms.