AstraZeneca to produce 40 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine in Japan

Japanese government signed a contract with drug giant AstraZeneca to produce coronavirus doses for 60 million people. company's Japan unit, along with its partner JCR Pharmaceuticals Co, will produce 40 million doses in prefecture of Hyogo in western Japan and will begin local distribution as soon as it receives government approval. AstraZeneca filed for fast-track approval of its vaccine with health ministry last week. 

40mn Covid-19 doses in Japan

pharmaceutical company (JCR) has alrey received AstraZeneca's vector vaccine. It will be cultured in a JCR Pharmaceuticals facility and company can increase supply without relying on imports. vaccine manufactured by company will be sent to factories of Daiichi Sankyo and Meiji. y will fill it with vials and pack it. n finally finished product will be shipped to hospitals. AstraZeneca has commissioned company in an earlier arrangement. This will help in ensuring that country receives eugh doses of vaccine. 

Also, University of Oxford on Saturday anunced that it will conduct clinical trials of Covid-19 vaccine (AstraZeneca) on children as young as 6 years old up to 17 to test vaccine’s efficacy in young people. Researchers will recruit at least 300 kid volunteers for assessment of level of immune response jabs produce in children. According to University of Oxford’s release, any kid will be eligible to participate in vaccine trial if y resided near one of centers in Oxford, St George’s University Hospital, London, Southampton, or Bristol.

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 EU grilled AstraZeneca over vaccine delivery delays

Recently, EU accused AstraZeneca of diverting its supplies to United Kingdom and or markets. company said that delay has occurred due to startup issues at European production sites. Also, Italy has threatened to take legal action against AstraZeneca if it fails to deliver promised doses on time, saying delays would impact country's vaccination strategy and lives of vulnerable people. 

Earlier, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsubu Kato asserted, "It is very important to establish vaccine production system in country. He informed, " plan is part of 120 million doses that AstraZeneca promised to supply to Japan under a deal two sides alrey agreed upon." On February 14, Japan formally approved its first Covid-19 vaccine (Pfizer), while approval of Moderna vaccine is unlikely until May. Japan, which is under a partial state of emergency due to pandemic, has recorded 4,21,967 coronavirus cases, out of which, 3,95,492 have been recovered. Whereas, country reported 7,274 deaths so far. 

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