Germany's IDT to make J&J's COVID-19 shot using Takeda manufacturing capacity

BERLIN: Germany's IDT Biologika said on Monday it would start producing Johnson & Johnson's single shot COVID-19 vaccine using capacity previously reserved by Japan's Takeda.

IDT said it will fill and package the COVID-19 shot, which was approved by the European Union's drug regulator last week, for a period of three months after which it will resume making Takeda's TAK-003 dengue vaccine.

"I am grateful to our long-standing customer Takeda for its flexibility, which enables us to provide the world with much-needed COVID-19 vaccines," said IDT Biologika Chief Executive Juergen Betzing.

Dessau-based IDT is already producing AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, as well as developing its own shot against the coronavirus.