Japan to get first batches of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from U.S.

JCR Pharmaceuticals

01/04/2021 24:55

TOKYO, April 1 (Reuters) - Japan's first doses of
AstraZeneca Plc's  AZN.L  COVID-19 vaccine are coming from
plants in the United States, the company said in an interview
with the Asahi Newspaper.
    The company had intended to import the undiluted vaccine
from Europe until the imposition of export controls there,
AstraZeneca's head of vaccines in Japan Tomoo Tanaka said in an
interview published on Thursday.
    Supplies of the vaccine will gradually shift to those made
domestically by Japanese companies once regulatory approval is
granted, expected in May, Tanaka said. He declined to say how
much inventory of doses there are currently.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2LR13Y
    Daiichi Sankyo Co  4568.T  said last month it had begun
production of AstraZeneca's vaccine in Japan.
    The Japanese government has arranged to buy 120 million
doses of the vaccine, enough for 60 million people. Most of the
doses will be made by Daiichi Sankyo, JCR Pharma  4552.T  and
other local partners.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2F92XN  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2KB0FD

 (Reporting by Rocky Swift; Editing by Kim Coghill)
 ((rocky.swift@thomsonreuters.com))