Aspen secures rights to produce J&J vaccine in Africa
Aspen has signed a monumental deal with Johnson & Johnson that will see the South African pharmaceutical giant manufacture and sell its own branded Covid-19 vaccine in Africa.
Aspen made the announcement on Tuesday, paving the way for vaccine equity in a continent battling to secure Covid jabs.
The company's CEO Stephen Saad confirmed negotiations are at an advanced stage, with the major details of the licensing agreement already hammered out.
The news comes amid renewed concerns of a fourth wave of infections in the country.
The Omicron variant is also believed to be behind a spike in infections in southern regions of Africa, as well as some other parts of the world.
"It's wonderful for South Africa to have technology and capabilities. It's something we should invest in as a country because we seem to want these things when it's too late.
"The only certainty that the continent will have enough supply is if there is someone in the region that can make the product.
"It's a fantastic day in Africa and having been left behind in receiving vaccines, it will give Africa so much more security," says Saad.
It's unclear when Aspen will be able to get the ball rolling at its Gqeberha plant but Saad believes it will be soon enough.
"It's not like we ae registering a brand-new product. We have the product registered, and we have the capacity.
"It shouldn't be a long time," he adds.
The pricing of the vaccines has also not been finalised.
"We haven't the pricing with anybody, but Aspen has demonstrated this historically that our pricing will be competitive so it's certainly not going to be more than what the government pays now.
"The prices are already known around the world and we will work around that," says Saad.
Aspen's vaccine will trade under the name Aspenovax.Listen to Saad below:
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