JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – The African Union on Tuesday hailed a deal paving the way for South Africa’s Aspen Pharmacare to package and sell Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine but said it should be expanded to include drug substance production by Aspen.
“We today have taken a major step forward,” said Strive Masiyiwa, an African Union special envoy who heads the Africa Vaccine Acquisition Task Team.
“I urge Aspen and Johnson & Johnson to complete the commitment, which is that it must include substance production within the next two years,” he added, speaking during a webinar to present the non-binding agreement announced on Tuesday.
(Reporting by Promit Mukherjee; Writing by Estelle Shirbon; Editing by David Goodman)
