By Rod Nickel
WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Feb 11 (Reuters) - The Canadian province of Manitoba said on Thursday that it would buy 2 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate that is currently in early trials, bypassing the national government.
Premier Brian Pallister said his government had agreed to buy the doses from Alberta-based Providence Therapeutics, which is developing a candidate similar to those produced by Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) PFE.N and Moderna Inc MRNA.O .
If approved by the regulator, Health Canada, Providence would supply Manitoba with its first 200,000 doses next year.
In total, Manitoba will buy 2 million doses for the province of 1.4 million people. Emergent BioSolutions would manufacture the doses and fill vials at its plant in Winnipeg.
Pallister, a Progressive (NYSE:PGR) Conservative, has been critical of Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for not delivering vaccines fast enough. Canada is only now developing its own capacity to produce them.
Canada's rate of vaccination lags far behind rates per capita in the United States, United Kingdom and many other nations, but the number of new infections in Canada is dropping sharply amid widespread health restrictions.
"Canada first is in danger of becoming Canada last," Pallister said. "I just want a Canadian home field advantage for us."
Pallister did release financial terms.
The Canadian government has signed all procurement deals for vaccines so far - more per capita than any other country in the world - but they are all made outside the country and only Pfizer and Moderna have regulatory approval. The provinces are in charge of administering vaccines.
Last week, Canada signed its first deal to allow a foreign coronavirus vaccine, developed by Novavax Inc NVAX.O , to be manufactured domestically. Canada officials could not be immediately reached.