Last year, the pharmaceutical company quietly stopped production at the Leiden, Netherlands plant that produced vaccines. This caught some customers off guard, especially those from developing countries who prefer single-dose J&J drugs to two-dose alternatives.
Johnson & Johnson instead used the plant to develop a potentially more lucrative drug that could protect against a unrelated respiratory virus. According to the report.
Although the plant is expected to resume production of COVID-19 vaccines, it is not clear when.
J&J didn’t comment on the reports of the plant closing, but stated in a statement to CBS News that they had “millions of doses” of their COVID-19 vaccine and were continuing to fulfill their contractual obligations to the African Union.
The vaccine of choice in poorer countries
Janssen Biotech, a Janssen Biotech subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson is providing the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. This vaccine is recommended for countries with less resources and who are dependent on Johnson & Johnson to fight the pandemic.
Because shots from Moderna or Pfizer are more effective against COVID-19 variants such as Omicron and because the Janssen vaccine has been linked to rare, but potentially fatal blood clots in the past, wealthier countries like the U.S. prefer them.
It is cheaper than double-dose vaccines, and it is easier to administer. This makes it more popular in low-income countries.