Johnson & Johnson COVID batch fails

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WASHINGTON, April 1, (AP): A batch of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine failed quality standards and can’t be used, the drug giant said Wednesday. The drugmaker didn’t say how many doses were lost, and it wasn’t clear how the problem would impact future deliveries.

A vaccine ingredient made by Emergent Bio- Solutions – one of about 10 companies that Johnson & Johnson is using to speed up manufacturing of its recently approved vaccine – did not meet quality standards, J&J said. J&J said the Emergent BioSolutions factory involved had not yet been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to make part of the vaccine. Emergent declined to comment. J&J had pledged to provide 20 million doses of its vaccine to the US government by the end of March, and 80 million more doses by the end of May.

Its statement on the manufacturing problem said it was still planning to deliver 100 million doses by the end of June and was “aiming to deliver those doses by the end of May.” President Joe Biden has pledged to have enough vaccines for all US adults by the end of May. The US government has ordered enough two-dose shots from Pfizer and Moderna to vaccinate 200 million people to be delivered by late May, plus the 100 million shots from J&J.

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