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

JCR Pharmaceuticals

01/04/2021 04:00

(Adds spokeswoman confirmation in 2nd paragraph, details from
5th)
    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, not Europe as initially expected,
the company told the Asahi Newspaper.
    The company had intended to import the undiluted vaccine
from Europe until export controls were tightened there at the
end of January, AstraZeneca's head of vaccines in Japan, Tomoo
Tanaka, said in an interview published on Thursday. 
    An AstraZeneca spokeswoman confirmed the details when
contacted by Reuters.
    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 did not give details
on the current inventory of doses.  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, enough for 60 million people. About 90 million will be
produced domestically by Daiichi Sankyo, JCR Pharmaceuticals Co
 4552.T  and other local partners.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2F92XN  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2KB0FD
    The European Union has sought to limit exports of vaccines
made within the bloc to preserve local supplies.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N2LO3KZ
    While AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine is yet to be approved
in the United States, the U.S. government is holding on to some
of the doses being produced there so they can be given to
Americans quickly upon approval.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2LA1YN

 (Reporting by Rocky Swift; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
 ((rocky.swift@thomsonreuters.com))