Country for PR: United States
Contributor: PR Newswire New York
Monday, March 29 2021 - 18:56
AsiaNet
Johnson & Johnson Announces Advance Purchase Agreement with the African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team for the Company's COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., March 29, 2021 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --

- Up to 400 million doses of the Company's single-shot vaccine candidate will 
be made available to African Union member states

- Availability of the vaccine is subject to national regulatory approvals

- Data have demonstrated vaccine candidate protects against COVID-19 related 
hospitalization and death in broad geographic regions, including those with 
variants of significant concern

Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of 
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) (the Company), has entered into an agreement with 
the African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team (AVATT) to make available up to 220 
million doses of its single-shot COVID-19 vaccine candidate to African Union's 
55 member states with delivery beginning in the third quarter of 2021. AVATT 
also has the potential to order an additional 180 million doses, for a combined 
total of up to 400 million doses through 2022. The availability of the vaccine 
candidate is subject to its successful approval or authorization by the 
national regulatory authorities of AU member states.

"From the beginning of this pandemic, Johnson & Johnson has recognized that no 
one is safe until everyone is safe, and we have been committed to equitable, 
global access to new COVID-19 vaccines," said Alex Gorsky, Chairman and Chief 
Executive Officer of Johnson & Johnson. "Our support for the COVAX Facility, 
combined with supplementary agreements with countries and regions, will help 
accelerate global progress toward ending the COVID-19 pandemic." 

Johnson & Johnson is committed to ensuring equitable global access to its 
single-shot COVID-19 vaccine candidate on a not-for-profit basis for emergency 
pandemic use. In December 2020, the Company entered into an agreement in 
principle ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3111303-1&h=145622612&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jnj.com%2Four-company%2Fjohnson-johnson-announces-agreement-in-principle-with-gavi-to-supply-janssens-covid-19-vaccine-candidate-to-lower-income-countries-in-2021&a=agreement+in+principle 
) with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) in support of the COVAX Facility, 
which is supporting the initial vaccination needs of 190 participating 
economies, including many countries in Africa. The Company and Gavi expect to 
enter into an Advance Purchase Agreement (APA) that would provide up to 500 
million doses of the Company's vaccine to COVAX through 2022. 

Additionally, Johnson & Johnson recognizes the increasingly severe impact of 
COVID-19 in Africa, as well as the emergence and continued spread of a 
SARS-CoV-2 variant in the Republic of South Africa that demonstrates increased 
transmissibility.

Data from the Phase 3 ENSEMBLE study showed that the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 
vaccine was well tolerated and demonstrated a 67 percent reduction in 
symptomatic COVID-19 disease in participants who received the vaccine in 
comparison to participants given the placebo. The onset of protection was 
observed from day 14 and was maintained 28 days post-vaccination.

The data also demonstrated the vaccine was 85 percent effective in preventing 
severe disease across all regions studied and showed protection against 
COVID-19 related hospitalization and death across countries with different 
variants, beginning 28 days after vaccination. Variants observed in an ongoing 
analysis in the ENSEMBLE study included the B.1.351 variant which was 
identified in 95 percent of the COVID-19 cases in South Africa.

Manufacturing and Supply Chain Information
Johnson & Johnson has established a global manufacturing and supply network for 
its COVID-19 vaccine, collaborating with nine partners across four continents, 
including Aspen Pharmacare in South Africa. Aspen will support vaccine 
shipments to the AU and will also contribute to global availability of the 
vaccine. 

The Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 single-shot vaccine is compatible with standard 
vaccine storage and distribution channels enabling delivery to remote areas. 
The vaccine is estimated to remain stable for two years at -25 to -15 degrees 
C, a maximum of three months of which can be at routine refrigeration at 
temperatures of 2 degrees-8 degrees C. This enables the vaccine to be shipped 
using the same cold chain technologies used to transport other medicines and 
vaccines in routine use. 

Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 Vaccine
The Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine uses the AdVac(R) vaccine platform ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3111303-1&h=4187432995&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.janssen.com%2Finfectious-diseases-and-vaccines%2Fvaccine-technology&a=AdVac%C2%AE%C2%A0vaccine+platform 
), a proprietary technology that was also used to develop and manufacture 
Janssen's European Commission-approved Ebola vaccine regimen and construct its 
investigational Zika, RSV, and HIV vaccines.

Regulatory Filings   
The Johnson & Johnson single-shot COVID-19 vaccine was granted Emergency Use 
Listing ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3111303-1&h=3757565975&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jnj.com%2Fjohnson-johnson-single-shot-covid-19-vaccine-granted-emergency-use-listing-by-the-world-health-organization&a=Emergency+Use+Listing 
) from the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 12, Conditional Marketing 
Authorization ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3111303-1&h=3945659433&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jnj.com%2Fjohnson-johnson-single-shot-covid-19-vaccine-granted-conditional-marketing-authorization-by-european-commission&a=Conditional+Marketing+Authorization 
) from the European Commission on March 11 and Emergency Use Authorization ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3111303-1&h=2141813688&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jnj.com%2Fjohnson-johnson-covid-19-vaccine-authorized-by-u-s-fda-for-emergency-usefirst-single-shot-vaccine-in-fight-against-global-pandemic&a=Emergency+Use+Authorization 
) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on February 27, 2021. The 
single-shot COVID-19 vaccine has also been granted Interim Order authorization 
( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3111303-1&h=3533767168&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.janssen.com%2Fcanada%2Fsites%2Fwww_janssen_com_canada%2Ffiles%2Fjohnson_johnson_covid-19_vaccine_granted_authorization_under_interim_order_by_health_canada_for_emergency_use.pdf&a=Interim+Order+authorization 
) in Canada, and additional rolling submissions have been initiated in several 
countries worldwide.

For more information on the Company's multi-pronged approach to helping combat 
the pandemic, visit: www.jnj.com/coronavirus.

About Johnson & Johnson
At Johnson & Johnson, we believe good health is the foundation of vibrant 
lives, thriving communities and forward progress. That's why for more than 130 
years, we have aimed to keep people well at every age and every stage of life. 
Today, as the world's largest and most broadly-based healthcare company, we are 
committed to using our reach and size for good. We strive to improve access and 
affordability, create healthier communities, and put a healthy mind, body and 
environment within reach of everyone, everywhere. We are blending our heart, 
science and ingenuity to profoundly change the trajectory of health for 
humanity. Learn more at www.jnj.com. Follow us at @JNJNews ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3111303-1&h=3419396970&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.twitter.com%2Fjnjnews&a=%40JNJNews 
).

About the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson
At Janssen, we're creating a future where disease is a thing of the past. We're 
the Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, working tirelessly to make 
that future a reality for patients everywhere by fighting sickness with 
science, improving access with ingenuity, and healing hopelessness with heart. 
We focus on areas of medicine where we can make the biggest difference: 
Cardiovascular & Metabolism, Immunology, Infectious Diseases & Vaccines, 
Neuroscience, Oncology, and Pulmonary Hypertension. Learn more at 
www.janssen.com. Follow us at @JanssenGlobal ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3111303-1&h=1265564495&u=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FJanssenGlobal&a=%40JanssenGlobal 
).

Cautions Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the 
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding development of a 
potential preventive vaccine for COVID-19. The reader is cautioned not to rely 
on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current 
expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or 
known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary 
materially from the expectations and projections of the Company, any of the 
other Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies, and/or Johnson & Johnson. Risks and 
uncertainties include, but are not limited to: challenges and uncertainties 
inherent in product research and development, including the uncertainty of 
clinical success and of obtaining regulatory approvals; uncertainty of 
commercial success; manufacturing difficulties and delays; competition, 
including technological advances, new products and patents attained by 
competitors; challenges to patents; product efficacy or safety concerns 
resulting in product recalls or regulatory action; changes in behavior and 
spending patterns of purchasers of health care products and services; changes 
to applicable laws and regulations, including global health care reforms; and 
trends toward health care cost containment. A further list and descriptions of 
these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Johnson & 
Johnson's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2021, 
including in the sections captioned "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking 
Statements" and "Item 1A. Risk Factors," and in the company's most recently 
filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and the company's subsequent filings with 
the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these filings are available 
online at www.sec.gov, www.jnj.com or on request from Johnson & Johnson. None 
of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies nor Johnson & Johnson undertakes to 
update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information or future 
events or developments.

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SOURCE  Johnson & Johnson

CONTACT: Media Contacts: Jake Sargent, +1 732-524-1090, JSargen3@its.jnj.com, 
or Seema Kumar, +1 908-405-1144, SKumar10@its.jnj.com, or Ronan Collins, +47 
488-425-00, RCollin5@its.jnj.com, or Investor Relations: Chris DelOrefice, +1 
732-524-2955, or Jennifer McIntyre, +1 732-524-3922
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