TOKYO, Sept 7 : Reuters - Takeda Pharmaceutical Co said the Japanese government agreed on Tuesday to produce 150 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine using Novavax Inc's formula.
Takeda, the biggest drugmaker, is preparing to make the vaccine domestically and will distribute it in 2022, pending approval by regulators, the company said in a statement. The TAK - 019 vaccine is still undergoing clinical trials in Japan according to Takeda.
The terms of the deal with government are confidential, Takeda said.
Novavax will license and transfer manufacturing technologies to enable Takeda to manufacture the vaccine, according to the statement.
The announcement builds on an earlier agreement between Takeda and the government to make some 250 million doses of Novavax shot. The remaining doses could be given to others, Takeda has said previously.
Japan has collected the most of its national supplies of AstraZeneca Plc's vaccine, with reliance primarily on imported doses of the mRNA-type shots developed by Pfizer Inc and Moderna Inc for domestic production needs.
After a slow start, Japan's vaccination drive has made some progress in recent months, with 58% of the population now having received at least one dose, according to a Reuters tracker.
MINTENTALS: Takeda is also handling the import and distribution of about 50 million doses of Moderna's vaccine this year and 50 million more next year. Three batches of moderna supplies, or about 1.6 million doses, were recalled in Japan after the discovery of small metal contaminants in some vials.
The health ministry said on Monday that a third person died after receiving a shot from the recalled Moderna supplies. In a separate statement on Tuesday, Takeda said that the causes of death (www.reuters.com). com business healthcare-pharmaceuticals two-die - japan-after shots-suspended - Moderna-Vaccines - japan-govt - 2021 - 08 28 are being investigated and there is no evidence they are linked to the vaccine.