Medicago Inc. severed ties with cigarette maker Philip Morris International Inc after the World Health Organization rejected the Canadian company’s Covid-19 vaccine, according to a tobacco control body.
(Bloomberg) — Medicago Inc.
severed ties with cigarette maker Philip Morris International Inc after the World Health Organization rejected the Canadian company’s Covid-19 vaccine, according to a tobacco control body.
Covifenz, the world’s first plant-based Covid vaccine, was jointly developed by Medicago, which is owned by Mitsubishi Chemical, Philip Morris and Glaxo.
The Canadian government, which provided $173 million in funding for its development, has cleared it for use.
“Tobacco corporations, vaccines and governments don’t mix well and we applaud the expulsion of Philip Morris from the Medicago collaboration,” Les Hagen, the executive director of a not-for-profit organization ASH Canada, said in a statement Monday.
Medicago’s request for an emergency-use listing was denied earlier this year by the World Health Organization because of the links with tobacco industry.
“We are relieved that Canadian governments have washed their hands of this unethical and embarrassing collaboration with a tobacco giant,” Hagen said.
Read More: Medicago Covid Shot Faces WHO Rejection Over Tobacco Links
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