WASHINGTON – U.S. pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson said Monday it will be able to provide 20 million doses of its coronavirus vaccine in the United States by the end of March, assuming it receives authorization from federal regulators.
J&J disclosed the figure in a written testimony prior to its congressional hearing scheduled for Tuesday, which will review the supply of country vaccines. Last week, White House officials warned that the first supplies of the J&J vaccine, which only needs one dose, would be limited.
The company has reiterated that it will have the capacity to provide 100 million doses in the United States by the end of June. This supply will help the U.S. government reach the goal of having enough vaccines to inoculate most American adults this year. Internationally, the company aims to produce 1 billion doses by 2021.
U.S. health regulators are continuing to review the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, and are expected to decide this week whether to allow its emergency use. The J&J vaccine would be the first in the United States to require just one dose.
The currently available vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna require two doses to be administered several weeks apart.
Executives from the two companies and two other vaccine manufacturers will also testify at Tuesday’s hearing.