Johnson & Johnson expects to have enough COVID-19 vaccines for 100 million Americans in April as federals increase inoculation efforts across the country, according to a company official.
The New Jersey-based drug maker is “doing its best with its production” while awaiting the results of a large-scale clinical trial that could allow the shot to be approved for emergency use in the coming weeks, according to the Dr. Member of the J&J board and former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.
“I know J&J is supplying a very large supply … with the goal of having maybe enough vaccines for 100 million Americans before spring, this April or so,” McClellan told the CNBC TV channel. “This will make a big difference in the availability of supply over the next few weeks and months if the trial works.”
J&J expects to release data later this month from the phase 3 trial of its single-dose coronavirus vaccine, which was shown to generate an immune response to COVID-19 in an initial study.
The company will then apply for an FDA emergency use authorization, which would allow it to be administered nationwide, such as existing Pfizer and Moderna dams.
But the pharmaceutical company reportedly faced production problems that left it behind in its goal of making 12 million doses available by the end of February. However, J&J has said it is “confident” it will be able to meet its supply commitments this year.
While the supply of vaccines in general will grow, it will be difficult to “keep up with the large number of Americans who really want to be vaccinated now,” McClellan said.
Less than half of the approximately 38 million doses distributed so far have entered the arms of Americans, according to federal data, and officials in places like New York City have warned of the shortage.
President Biden’s administration “set a goal of one million doses a day,” McClellan told CNBC. “We’ve really been at this level for the last two days and I think people will expect a higher level of vaccine distribution and administration.”