Johnson & Johnson halts production of single shot vaccine
Johnson & Johnson has halted production of its single shot covid vaccine while the facility producing it focuses on making a separate vaccine for an unrelated virus, according to new reports.
The Netherlands-based plant has paused covid vaccine production but is expected to begin making the vaccine again after a few months, the New York Times reported.
The plant has instead been making an experimental but potentially more profitable vaccine for an unrelated virus.
The firm currently has millions of doses stored and said it will continue to fulfil its contractual obligations in relation to the COVAX Facility and the African Union
The New York Times, however, said with the Leiden plant temporarily unavailable, it could reduce the supply of the vaccine by a few hundred million doses.
Johnson & Johnson’s spokesperson Jake Sargent told CNBC that the firm is continuing to deliver batches of the vaccine materials to sites that bottle and package doses.
“We are proud of the work of our many industry partners and the collaborations we have developed to produce our Covid-19 vaccine,” he said.