Pfizer and Moderna Pharmaceuticals have increased the price of their Covid-19 vaccines in the latest European Union (EU) supply contracts, going up 25% and 13%, respectively, reported the Financial Times (paid access) quoted by the Eco Online portal.

The terms of the contracts, signed this year through 2023 for a total supply of 2.1 billion doses, were renegotiated after clinical studies indicated that the two companies' mRNA vaccines had better efficacy rates against Covid-19 than the cheaper vaccines developed by AstraZeneca and Janssen, according to the British newspaper.

The price of a dose of vaccine from Pfizer has increased from the current €15.50 to €19.50, according to parts of the contract to which the Financial Times has had access, while the price of a dose of vaccine from Moderna has risen to €21.48 ($25.50), up from the previous €19 ($22.60) under the first supply agreement.

Despite this increase, the price of the Moderna vaccine dose was even higher, more specifically 24 euros (28.50 dollars), said the FT, but the value was eventually revised due to the increased order.

According to information advanced this Sunday, pharmaceutical companies are boosting profits in the face of growing orders from various countries for a possible third dose against Covid-19 in the winter.

Pharmaceutical industry consultants indicated in the article that Pfizer - which shares profits with Germany's BioNTech - is expected to earn $56 billion from the sale of its vaccine by 2022. Moderna, meanwhile, is expected to earn approximately $30 billion.

As for AstraZeneca, which delivers its vaccine at cost price indefinitely to developing countries, the newspaper points to profits of around $15 billion.