India got it's fifth COVID-19 vaccine on Saturday as Johnson & Johnson's jab was approved for emergency usage. The development comes less than a day after the US pharma giant said that it had applied for authorisation of its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine Janssen to the Government of India.
"India expands its vaccine basket! Johnson and Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine is given approval for Emergency Use in India. Now India has 5 EUA vaccines. This will further boost our nation's collective fight against COVID-19," read a tweet from Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.
As per a statement from the company's India spokesperson, the single dose vaccine will be made available to all individuals above the age of 18. The vaccine will be brought to India through a collaboration with Biological E Limited. It is however not clear when exactly the vaccine will become available to the general populace.
The Hyderabad based drug major also plans to produce 75 million to 80 million doses of its own upcoming COVID-19 vaccine (Corbevax) in a month to boost the country's overall supplies. This vaccine has been developed with Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and Dynavax Technologies Corp.
"Biological E will be an important part of our global supply chain network, helping to supply our Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine through the extensive collaborations and partnerships we have with governments, health authorities and organisations such as Gavi and the COVAX Facility," a statement from Johnson & Johnson had said.
Further details awaited.
