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South African pharmaceutical manufacturer Aspen has concluded a “non-binding term sheet” with two Johnson and Johnson companies to kick-start talks on a definitive agreement to manufacture and sell an Aspen-branded Covid19 vaccine in Africa.
The company announced on Tuesday that the agreement would expand the existing technical transfer and manufacturing agreements between the parties, granting Aspen the to manufacture the Covid19 vaccine from “drug substance supplied by Johnson & Johnson” which will be branded Aspenovax.
It will be sold into public sector markets in Africa “through transactions with designated multilateral organisations and with national governments of member states of the African Union.”
Aspen said in addition, Johnson & Johnson would grant it a license to the enabling intellectual property for this purpose.
“The term of the grant of rights and supply of drug substance, subject to the signing of the definitive agreement, would be until 31 December 2026,” Aspen said.
“The non-binding term sheet contemplates a good faith undertaking between the parties to discuss the expansion of the agreement to include any new versions of the drug substance, such as those developed for new variants or as a different formulation for administration as a booster and the applicable terms thereof.”
“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the inequitable access to vaccines globally,” said Stephen Saad, Aspen Group Chief Executive.
“Africa remains vaccine constrained, preventing an effective response to the need to protect Africans against the virus. We are most grateful to Johnson & Johnson for their confidence in collaborating with Aspen to address these challenges.”
