ZURICH (Reuters) – COVID-19 vaccine maker Moderna (NASDAQ:) Chief Executive Stephane Bancel stated that he does not anticipate any difficulties in creating a booster shot against Omicron coronavirus. He could start work within a few weeks.

Moderna is planning to conduct clinical trials in the near future on a vaccine against Omicron Variant, but at this time it is focused on a booster dosage vaccine.

Omicron will only need minor changes. Bancel told Swiss newspaper TagesAnzeiger that there are no problems.

Now, the company was waiting for important information about the variant that would be developed.

Bancel stated, “That’ll take another week or so.”

After (regulatory approval), it will be a while before 500 million doses can be produced. However, our capacity is much greater than it was a year earlier,” he stated.

Approval bodies like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Swissmedic may require additional studies. That would mean an extra three months.

Some authorities are keen to conduct a study while others remain unsure. “It depends very much upon how severe the disease progresses,” said he.

Moderna was unable to deliver its orders in time due to delays and lags in manufacturing in early 2021.

It produced 700 to 800 millions COVID-19 vaccine doses in 2017. The company expects to make more vaccines in 2022. This will increase the production rate from 100 to 150 Million doses per month.

Lonza has agreed to add additional production lines. They will make the deal in the first quarter. The company now has 30 million doses.

Moderna signed preliminary agreements with Canada, Australia and Switzerland. Moderna is now in discussions with Switzerland about a subscription for vaccines. This could provide supply while it creates novel mRNA vaccines. Moderna also wants to strengthen ties with other countries.

Bancel explained that “we have a lot of vaccines in development for influenza and against the RS viruses, which cause a deadly respiratory disease in elderly people as well as young children.”

“We could combine the three mRNA vaccins into one and suggest to governments that they secure supply for a specific amount of time for many years. Then, invest in a manufacturing facility in that country.”

This would provide priority supply for these countries in the case of a pandemic.