Just one week after inking a COVID-19 vaccine deal with the U.S. for 100 million doses, Johnson & Johnson reached a supply agreement twice that size with the European Union.
In a pact unveiled Thursday, J&J agreed to supply the EU with 200 million doses of its coronavirus vaccine candidate—if the program succeeds in testing. The parties didn’t release financial terms, and the agreement includes an option for an additional 200 million doses.
If the vaccine proves safe and effective, the EU has the “contractual framework in place” to purchase the doses.
The move comes right after J&J reached a $1 billion deal for 100 million doses with the United States’ Operation Warp Speed. The government group, which aims to deliver 300 million doses of a safe and effective vaccine to the U.S. by January 1, has already inked supply agreements for 800 million doses.
RELATED: Johnson & Johnson pledges 100M coronavirus vaccine doses to U.S. for $10 each
Meanwhile, Europe has been negotiating with global pharma giants as well. The EU has already concluded talks to purchase 300 million doses of the Sanofi/GlaxoSmithKline candidate if it succeeds.
AstraZeneca, another leading COVID-19 vaccine player, pledged 400 million doses at no profit under a deal with the Inclusive Vaccines Alliance, which is led by Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands. Those deliveries are set to begin by the end of this year.
RELATED: Johnson & Johnson to start human testing of COVID-19 vaccine next week
As for Johnson & Johnson, its candidate recently entered human testing after positive preclinical data. The company kicked off a phase 1/2a study in more than 1,000 adults ages 18 to 55, and the study includes a cohort of people 65 and older.
J&J expects initial human results next month, and the drugmaker could start phase 3 efficacy testing in September. “We could have data before the year ends” or early 2021, R&D chief Paul Stoffels said on a conference call last month.
