FRANKFURT: BioNTech and partner Pfizer have supplied more than one billion doses of their COVID-19 vaccine as per July 21, a bigger number than delivered by competitor AstraZeneca, the German biotech group said on Monday.

The supply tally, up from more than 700 million doses announced by the biotech firm in June, compares with AstraZeneca saying late last month that it and manufacturing partner Serum Institute of India had supplied a billion doses to 170 countries at the time.

Based on delivery contracts for over 2.2 billion doses so far, BioNTech said in a statement it expects to accrue 15.9 billion euros ($18.7 billion) in revenue from the vaccine this year, up from a May forecast of 12.4 billion euros.

Pfizer raises 2021 COVID-19 vaccine sales forecast to $33.5 billion

That includes sales, milestone payments from partners and a share of gross profit in its partners' territories, the company added.

Pfizer late last month raised its forecast for its share of 2021 vaccine sales to $33.5 billion.

BioNTech added on Monday that it and Pfizer believe a third dose, following the established two-shot regimen, "has the potential to preserve the highest levels of protective efficacy against all currently tested variants, including Delta", underscoring similar remarks made by its partner.

Still, it reiterated plans to start testing a vaccine adjusted to the highly infectious Delta variant of the virus on humans this month, part of a "comprehensive strategy to address variants, should the need arise in the future".