TOKYO: Major British drugmaker AstraZeneca PLC said Friday that it has agreed with the Japanese government to launch negotiations on supplying Japan with a novel coronavirus vaccine currently under development with the University of Oxford.

Japanese companies, such as drugmaker Daiichi Sankyo Co. and food and pharmaceuticals group Meiji Holdings Co., will cooperate in manufacturing and distributing the vaccine in a stable way in the country.

Procedures for approval of the vaccine are underway around the world. In Britain, it is currently in a clinical trial. AstraZeneca is set to start a clinical trial for the vaccine in Japan as well, planning to consider a specific production system with Japanese drugmakers.

Daiichi Sankyo Biotech Co., Meiji Seika Pharma Co. and KM Biologics Co. will offer cooperation. They will receive supplies of the vaccine from AstraZeneca for distribution to the Japanese market.

The facilities of Daiichi Sankyo and Meiji Holdings have a combined capacity to produce new flu vaccines for a total of 97 million people in six months, according to the firms.

JIJI Press