Aspen Pharmacare has secured a deal with Johnson & Johnson to make and sell a COVID-19 vaccine under its own brand.
On Tuesday, Aspen SA said the new deal would form the basis for negotiations of a definitive agreement on the manufacturing and sale of an Aspen-branded vaccine throughout Africa.
The new vaccine will be called Aspenovax.
It said this was subject to the signing of the definitive agreement lasting until 31 December 2026.
As part of the deal, J&J will grant Aspen a licence to its intellectual property.
It will also supply the substance for the jabs.
Through a previous agreement with Johnson & Johnson, Aspen has been filling and finishing over a hundred-million doses for distribution in Africa.
This is good news for Africa, which has seen a slower rollout compared to western countries.
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