US looking at Johnson & Johnson vaccine production in India, in talks with Serum Institute

To counter India's vaccine shortage, the Biden administration said that it was looking at joint production of Johnson and Johnson’s Covid vaccine in India on Tuesday. Addressing a briefing, Daniel B Smith, Charge d’Affaires of the US Embassy, said that there were some 'private-sector production talks' but was unsure as to when these plans will fructify. Moreover, he also said that he was unsure of the timeline as to when the US will release its 60 million Astra Zeneca (Covishield) doses to India, as the FDA was yet to clear it.

US looking to produce J&J vaccine in India

"Our development finance cooperation is looking at how we can invest so that we can help produce the Johnson and Johnson's vaccine here in India. And I know that there are some private-sector production talks that are underway from pharmaceutical companies to pharmaceutical companies," he said. He added, "We are determined to do all we can as a government to encourage licensing and encourage more production and if there is a need for capital, we will look at what we can provide and whether we can provide assistance".

Talking about releasing US' stockpile of Covishield doses, he said that while the doses were stockpiled they were yet to receive Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s nod. He also said that as the doses were manufactured in a local plant outside Baltimore which had certain issues, the vaccines are not available for anyone's use; for export or not. Last month, the White House said that the US plans to share 60 million doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine globally as soon as they become available and India expected a significant chunk of the total stockpile.

"I know that there are a number of doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine (with the US). They were manufactured in the US. They were manufactured at a plant outside of Baltimore but there were problems with this plant. So far the Food and Drug Administration of the US has not certified that these vaccines are available for anyone's use; for export or not," he said. The US 

About J&J's vaccine

The single-shot vaccine was approved by the FDA under an Emergency Use Authorization for vaccinating those 18 years of age and older in February 2021 - after Pfizer & Moderna's vaccine. The vaccine (Ad26.CoV2.S) is administered as one dose (0.5 ml) and will become efficacious about 28 days after inoculation. The vaccine has an 85.4% efficacy against severe disease and hospitalisation, 66.9% against symptomatic moderate and severe infection. The vaccine doses were briefly stopped from being in the US, EU after six cases reported of blood clots following the administration of the J&J vaccine, which was later categorised as “very rare” side effects.

(With PTI inputs)