Wacker and CordenPharma to supply vaccines in Germany

Wacker Chemie and CordenPharma are part of a $3.1 billion program to secure messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine production for Germany. The chemical firms are preparing to produce 80 million doses per year if the COVID-19 pandemic persists or the need arises for vaccines to address a new pandemic. Wacker would manufacture mRNA and the plasmid DNA starting material. CordenPharma would produce lipids and Wacker would turn them into lipid nanoparticles. CordenPharma would develop vaccine formulations and perform sterile filling and packaging of vaccines. Vaccine makers BioNTech, Celonic, and IDT Biologika are also in the German program, as is a partnership between CureVac and GlaxoSmithKline.