"Australians will be among the first in the world to receive a safe and effective vaccine, should it pass late stage testing," Morrison will say.
Under the deal with UQ and CSL, Australia will buy 51 million doses of that tie-up's vaccine. The UQ and CSL candidate is scheduled to begin phase two trials in late 2020 and if all trials are successful it could be rolled out to Australians in mid-2021.
Both deals will cost in total A$1.7 billion ($1.24 billion), Morrison will say. Should both vaccines prove successful, Australia has secured to right to donate or sell on without a mark-up.
Health officials are discussing who will receive the first doses if trials are successful, Morrison will say. Vulnerable people, and front-line health care workers likely to be first in line, a source familiar with the details told Reuters.
The supply agreements come as Australia grapples with a second wave of infections in its second most populous state, Victoria. Australia has recorded more than 26,000 infections and 753 deaths.