Benzinga | Apr 27, 2021 08:21AM EDT

US To Share Up To 60M AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine Doses

* The United States will start to share up to 60 million doses of AstraZeneca Plc's (NASDAQ: AZN) COVID-19 vaccine doses with other countries as they become available, White House senior COVID-19 adviser Andy Slavitt said on Monday.

* "The U.S. to release 60 million AstraZeneca doses to other countries as they become available," he wrote on Twitter.

* The FDA has not yet authorized the vaccine for use in the U.S.

* In March, the Biden administration said it would send around 4 million AZN vaccine doses to Canada and Mexico and is under growing pressure now to expand sharing of its stockpile with India and other countries.

* The doses will be exported in the coming months after a federal safety review, said a senior administration official during a press briefing.

* The administration expects the U.S. could release 10 million doses of the vaccine "in the coming weeks," pending FDA clearance. An additional 50 million doses could be distributed in May and June, reports CNBC.

* The U.S. has already announced that it will provide raw materials for Indian vaccine manufacturers as the country battles a devastating surge in cases.

* President Biden promised more emergency assistance, "including oxygen-related supplies, vaccine materials, and therapeutics."

* Washington is also looking at supplying oxygen, tests, personal protective equipment, and the antiviral drug remdesivir to India's health service.

* According to another official, the U.S. will be exporting 36 millipore filters used to manufacture the Covishield AstraZeneca vaccine.

* Price Action: AZN shares are up 1.09% at $52.94 in premarket on the last check Tuesday.