BRIEF—Zipline, Pfizer and BioNTech pilot drone delivery of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines

Global instant logistics company Zipline has partnered with Pfizer and BioNTech to successfully complete the first long-range drone delivery of both authorized mRNA COVID-19 vaccines requiring ultra-cold-chain in Ghana.

The collaboration of the companies, which  worked together earlier this year to develop and test an end-to-end vaccine delivery solution, will allow for the distribution of approximately 50,000 of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine in Ghana, pioneering a new model for vaccine distribution.

In addition to financial support for the pilot program, Pfizer and BioNTech provided technical assistance and know-how specific to the management and storage of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine at -90°C to -60°C. This partnership has paved the way for drone deliveries of all mRNA vaccines.

To date, more than 220,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses from multiple manufacturers have been successfully distributed across Ghana by Zipline, the first company to do so through an autonomous aircraft at national scale. Zipline plans to distribute millions more as supply becomes available.