BREAKING: Johnson & Johnson has granted a license to South Africa's Aspen Pharmacare to manufacture an Aspen-branded version of the J&J #COVID19vaccine for distribution in Africa. #VaccineApartheid #COVID19
The agreement is the result of several months of negotiations & investment, says WTO's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. She says WTO is holding periodic meetings with #COVID19 vaccine manufacturers & hopes agreement will be a step to decentralise #COVID19vaccine production globally.
Okonjo-Iweala says the #Omicron is another reason why #TRIPSwaiver discussions must be concluded speedily. This follows the WTO's decision to cancel its recent ministerial meeting following the variant's discovery.
"This #COVID19 vaccine licence agreement (btw J&J and Aspen) shows that collaboration is possible that we can find ways to collaborate with each other, even as the WTO continues negotiations on a response to the pandemic including IP issues," says WTO's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
"I hope that this #COVID19vaccine licence agreement (btw J&J and Aspen) will be fruitful for Africa & serve as one of the examples of how voluntary licencing can help solve technology transfer problems and save lives," says WTO's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. #TRIPSwaiver
"What is happening today is going to make a significant contribution to transforming production of vaccines & essential health tools, I'm quite convinced," says @WHOAFRO @MoetiTshidi of new Aspen license to produce and distribute J&J #COVID19 vaccine in Africa
"It is absolutely important that we work together to reduce the extreme vulnerabilities of the supply chain on our continent, which relies on imports to meet between 70% to 100% of our demands for medicines, vaccines, & other health products," says @MoetiTshidi #COVID19
WHO Africa head says today's license agreement between J&J and South Africa's Aspen Pharmacare for a #COVID19 vaccine "gives us reason to be optimistic that we can actualize the African vision of seeing 60% of the region's vaccine needs manufactured locally by the year 2040."
John Nkengasong, Director of the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention says (via Aspen Pharmacare) that today's license for the production of J&J's #COVID19 in South Africa is a "game changer" for Africa. #VaccineApartheid
African Union Special Envoy for COVID Strive Masiyiwa, credits South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa for initiating discussions with Johnson & Johnson for a local license for its #COVID19 vaccine and setting a deadline of 30 Nov. #COVID19vaccine
Masiyiwa says Johnson & Johnson must now honour its commitment to enable local production of API for its #COVID19vaccine within two years as part of Aspen's license to produce the jab for distribution to Africa.
"If Aspen was not in Africa, would any J&J doses have gone to Africa? I think not," says Stephen Saad, Aspen Group Chief Executive. He estimates that by the end of 2022 Aspen will be able to produce 700 million of the J&J jabs a year under license with tech transfer #COVID19
Johnson & Johnson's Adrian Thomas: "We've seen at least historically with variants that vaccines have provided very good coverage. We don't know this with #Omicron" Says companies continue to work on understanding the new variant means for #COVID19vaccines
Johnson & Johnson's Adrian Thomas says Johnson & Johnson remains committed to providing 500 million #COVID19vaccine doses to #COVAX & 400 million doses through the African Union "through whatever source."
Substance pricing, legal liabilities, commercial terms of have been fleshed out, says Aspen's Saad. "We're not in position to comment on profitability, pricing. It is our intention to be competitive with current pricing to the extent that we can be more competitive we will."
Strive Masiyiwa, AU Special Envoy for COVID and Africa Vaccine Acquisition Task Team Director, says Johnson & Johnson remains favoured #COVID19 vaccine among African countries because of its single dose. AVAT has ordered 400m doses so far. He expects boosting to happen annually
Masiyiwa says he hopes Africa can take the bulk of Aspen's production of the J&J #COVID19vaccine now under license. The jab will be sold under the brand-name Aspenovax. "The demand is certainly there," says WHO Africa head Matshidiso Moeti. "Countries are waiting for this."
J&J's licence to allow South Africa's Aspen to produce its #COVID19vaccine for Africa under the brand-name Aspenovax will run until 2026, initially with drug substance provided by J&J #COVID19 aspenpharma.com/2021/11/30/asp…
African leaders have called on tech transfer to be done to allow Aspen to produce drug substance for its version of the J&J #COVID19vaccine within two years #COVID19 aspenpharma.com/2021/11/30/asp…
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