French President Emmanuel Macron has summoned the CEO of global pharmaceutical giant Sanofi to a meeting next week after the company suggested the US market could be prioritized for a Covid-19 vaccine.

Macron and CEO Paul Hudson will meet on Tuesday, said the Elysee Palace.

In a statement, Macron said any Covid-19 vaccine must be treated as a “public good for the world, and not subject to the laws of the market.”

The Paris-headquartered company has clarified its earlier comments, saying it will also work with European governments to begin production as soon as possible.

Sanofi said its cooperation with the US’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) will allow it to start production as soon as possible.

It says it's exploring similar opportunities within Europe.

“We have always been committed in these unprecedented circumstances to make our vaccine accessible to everyone,” the company said in a statement.

“We are having very constructive conversations with the EU institutions and the French and German government amongst others.”