DUBAI, UAE — Moderna, Inc., a biotechnology company pioneering messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics and vaccines, and Tabuk Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Company (a fully owned subsidiary of Astra Industrial Group), a leading Saudi pharmaceuticals company, announced an agreement to commercialize the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and future variant-specific booster candidates in Saudi Arabia.

Under the terms of this agreement, Tabuk Pharmaceuticals will hold the marketing authorization for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in Saudi Arabia. Beyond the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and Moderna’s updated variant booster candidates, the agreement also gives Tabuk the possibility to discuss opportunities to distribute other Moderna mRNA products if authorized in the future.

“We appreciate the collaboration of Tabuk Pharmaceuticals in this new partnership in Saudi Arabia,” said Stéphane Bancel, chief executive officer of Moderna. “It is thanks to partnerships such as these that we are able to ensure access to our vaccine globally, and we hope it will support the availability of our COVID-19 vaccine for the benefit of the people of Saudi Arabia.”

“We welcome the opportunity to work with Tabuk Pharmaceuticals to bring the Moderna COVID-19 and potentially other Moderna mRNA products to Saudi Arabia in the future,” said Corinne Le Goff, Pharm.D., M.B.A., chief commercial officer of Moderna. “Together with our partners, we remain committed to delivering our vaccine to more populations around the world.”

“As part of our role and mission in Tabuk to deliver unique health solutions and preserve lives for the people of Saudi Arabia and countries we operate in especially during the current pandemic, our partnership with Moderna comes in as an evident choice to further support our mission in line with Saudi Vision 2030 regarding biotechnology in association with such a distinguished & renowned company as Moderna,” said Mohammed Alhagbani, president of Astra Industrial Group.

“We are proud and excited at Tabuk to be partnering with Moderna to commercialize crucial vaccines to Saudi Arabia building on our strategy to expand our specialty and innovative business and reinforces our leading position in the region.

“Our aspiration is to be the partner of choice to Moderna in the region and consider further strategic collaboration including local manufacturing in Saudi,” said Wisam Alkhatib Pharm.,MBA, vice president of strategy and business development of Tabuk Pharmaceuticals. — SG