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> Does anyone have a list where BionTech distributes directly? It's Germany and Turkey. In a press release earlier this year[0], BioNTech described their rel

by mrtksn 5y ago

> Does anyone have a list where BionTech distributes directly? It's Germany and Turkey. In a press release earlier this year[0], BioNTech described their relationship with Pfizer and they listed the countries it covers. Also, for China they have another company instead of Pfizer. Why Germany and Turkey, you may ask? Well, the inventors and founders of the company are Turkish immigrants to Germany. So they are able to give the vaccine on special terms to the country they came from and the country that made them. To be honest, Turkey is extremely lucky that they feel like helping out the motherland. Thanks to them, Turkey has abundance of the vaccine and probably at a good price. [0] https://investors.biontech.de/news-releases/news-release-details/pfizer-and-biontech-celebrate-historic-first-authorization-us https://investors.biontech.de/news-releases/news-release-det...

sho_hn 5y ago
They also have a licensee (and early R&D investor) in China, Fosun Pharma. I don't know if Fosun is actively manufacturing and distributing, but I think they have the exclusive rights for the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau.
- throwaway2037 5y ago
  Doses of BioNTech vaccine distributed by gov'ts in Hongkong and Macao were manufactored by Fosun Pharma. As vaccination rate has dropped dramatically since the initial rush, I don't know if Fosun Pharma is still manufacturing the BioNTech vaccine. Weirdly, I still don't think any foreign made vaccines are approved in mainland China. Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fosun_Pharma#COVID-19 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fosun_Pharma#COVID-19 I cannot find any references via Google that prove Fosun Pharma has exclusive rights for Taiwan. If anyone has any specifics, please reply. Honestly, I doubt it, as Fosun in a mainland Chinese corporation and China was actively blocking Taiwan out of international COVID efforts efforts vis-a-vis WHO (World Health Org).
  - sho_hn 5y ago
    > "Fosun Pharma has been licensed by BioNTech to exclusively develop and commercialize COVID-19 vaccines based on its mRNA technology platform in Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Taiwan region." https://investors.biontech.de/news-releases/news-release-details/10-million-doses-mrna-based-covid-19-vaccine-be-supplied-taiwan https://investors.biontech.de/news-releases/news-release-det... (2020)
    - throwaway2037 5y ago
      Searching the CDC in Taiwan, I was unable to find any press releases announcing they bought vaccines from Fosun Pharma. Everything I could find said they only received BioNTech vaccines when they were donated. Please correct me if wrong. I assume "Taiwan region" is simply something to satisfy the PRC gov't (CCP) which believes Taiwan is a part of its country and governed by PRC. TW CDC PR: https://www.cdc.gov.tw/En/Bulletin/List/7tUXjTBf6paRvrhEl-mrPg https://www.cdc.gov.tw/En/Bulletin/List/7tUXjTBf6paRvrhEl-mr...
      - sho_hn 5y ago
        Just like you I don't take statements like this at face value due to the complexities involved. :-)
      - cbhl 5y ago
        My understanding is that folks locally didn't trust the Fosun-made batches, but Taiwan couldn't purchase vaccines from Pfizer due to Fosun holding the distribution rights Hence the donations
        ulfw 5y ago
        There are no Fosun-made batches.
        throwaway2037 5y ago
        I tried to Google about this issue, but I couldn't find anything. Can you suggest a link or a Google search? I would appreciate to read more about this issue.
throwaway2037 5y ago
You wrote: <<the inventors and founders of the company are Turkish immigrants to Germany.>> I double checked on Wiki. There are two founders -- husband and wife. While both have Turkish heritage, only one is a Turkish immigrant. To be fair, I agree with the overall sentiment of your comment! Husband: Uğur Şahin was born in Turkey, and immigrated to Germany at age 4 Wife: Özlem Türeci was born in Germany. Her parents immigrated to Germany from Turkey. If anyone is interested to learn more about these amazing scientists, I recommend that you watch the YouTube video where they are interviewed by CEO Mathias Döpfner for one hour after winning the Axel Springer Award in 2021: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4u4JzAZQoc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4u4JzAZQoc
- mrtksn 5y ago
  They are part of the Turkish diaspora in Germany. Wouldn’t know about the exact birth details but they played substantial role in the vaccination program in Turkey.
- Hekioi 5y ago
  They also wrote a book
  - throwaway2037 5y ago
    Nice tip! I didn't know about it. I found this: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250280374 https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250280374 << The Vaccine: Inside the Race to Conquer the COVID-19 Pandemic Author: Joe Miller with Dr. Özlem Türeci and Dr. Ugur Sahin >>
    - selcuka 5y ago
      Interestingly both last names are written incorrectly on the cover (should have been TÜRECİ and ŞAHİN -- with a dotted capital I). Looks like a bug in the "convert to all caps" function of their publishing or design software. It can't be a font issue as they were able to print "Ğ".
- st1ck 5y ago

by mrtksn 5y ago

sho_hn 5y ago

They also have a licensee (and early R&D investor) in China, Fosun Pharma. I don't know if Fosun is actively manufacturing and distributing, but I think they have the exclusive rights for the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau.

throwaway2037 5y ago
Doses of BioNTech vaccine distributed by gov'ts in Hongkong and Macao were manufactored by Fosun Pharma. As vaccination rate has dropped dramatically since the initial rush, I don't know if Fosun Pharma is still manufacturing the BioNTech vaccine. Weirdly, I still don't think any foreign made vaccines are approved in mainland China. Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fosun_Pharma#COVID-19 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fosun_Pharma#COVID-19 I cannot find any references via Google that prove Fosun Pharma has exclusive rights for Taiwan. If anyone has any specifics, please reply. Honestly, I doubt it, as Fosun in a mainland Chinese corporation and China was actively blocking Taiwan out of international COVID efforts efforts vis-a-vis WHO (World Health Org).
- sho_hn 5y ago
  > "Fosun Pharma has been licensed by BioNTech to exclusively develop and commercialize COVID-19 vaccines based on its mRNA technology platform in Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Taiwan region." https://investors.biontech.de/news-releases/news-release-details/10-million-doses-mrna-based-covid-19-vaccine-be-supplied-taiwan https://investors.biontech.de/news-releases/news-release-det... (2020)
  - throwaway2037 5y ago
    Searching the CDC in Taiwan, I was unable to find any press releases announcing they bought vaccines from Fosun Pharma. Everything I could find said they only received BioNTech vaccines when they were donated. Please correct me if wrong. I assume "Taiwan region" is simply something to satisfy the PRC gov't (CCP) which believes Taiwan is a part of its country and governed by PRC. TW CDC PR: https://www.cdc.gov.tw/En/Bulletin/List/7tUXjTBf6paRvrhEl-mrPg https://www.cdc.gov.tw/En/Bulletin/List/7tUXjTBf6paRvrhEl-mr...
    - sho_hn 5y ago
      Just like you I don't take statements like this at face value due to the complexities involved. :-)
    - cbhl 5y ago
      My understanding is that folks locally didn't trust the Fosun-made batches, but Taiwan couldn't purchase vaccines from Pfizer due to Fosun holding the distribution rights Hence the donations
      - ulfw 5y ago
        There are no Fosun-made batches.
      - throwaway2037 5y ago
        I tried to Google about this issue, but I couldn't find anything. Can you suggest a link or a Google search? I would appreciate to read more about this issue.

throwaway2037 5y ago

You wrote: <<the inventors and founders of the company are Turkish immigrants to Germany.>> I double checked on Wiki. There are two founders -- husband and wife. While both have Turkish heritage, only one is a Turkish immigrant. To be fair, I agree with the overall sentiment of your comment! Husband: Uğur Şahin was born in Turkey, and immigrated to Germany at age 4 Wife: Özlem Türeci was born in Germany. Her parents immigrated to Germany from Turkey. If anyone is interested to learn more about these amazing scientists, I recommend that you watch the YouTube video where they are interviewed by CEO Mathias Döpfner for one hour after winning the Axel Springer Award in 2021: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4u4JzAZQoc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4u4JzAZQoc

mrtksn 5y ago
They are part of the Turkish diaspora in Germany. Wouldn’t know about the exact birth details but they played substantial role in the vaccination program in Turkey.
Hekioi 5y ago
They also wrote a book
- throwaway2037 5y ago
  Nice tip! I didn't know about it. I found this: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250280374 https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250280374 << The Vaccine: Inside the Race to Conquer the COVID-19 Pandemic Author: Joe Miller with Dr. Özlem Türeci and Dr. Ugur Sahin >>
  - selcuka 5y ago
    Interestingly both last names are written incorrectly on the cover (should have been TÜRECİ and ŞAHİN -- with a dotted capital I). Looks like a bug in the "convert to all caps" function of their publishing or design software. It can't be a font issue as they were able to print "Ğ".
st1ck 5y ago