Johnson & Johnson confident of 1B dose target for next year's COVID vaccine

Some eight months into the COVID-19 pandemic, much of the global attention still revolves around vaccine development. But now, with some candidates nearing the finish line, the vaccine supply chain and manufacturing will be the focus of global distribution efforts.

While some drugmakers have backed away from the challenge of making enough doses to meet demand, according to New Jersey-based Johnson & Johnson, Paul Lefebvre, vice president of strategic initiatives and head of the COVID-19 vaccine supply chain, said that with years of experience, the drugmaker is gearing up to produce 10 percent of the vaccine in 2021. Billions of doses of COVID-19 vaccine and looking ahead to 2022. Johnson & Johnson's Jensen division in an interview.

Lefebvre said that while no one can predict the scope of a COVID-19 pandemic, Johnson & Johnson has the systems in place to respond to this unprecedented event-in fact, it used the same crisis strategy to deal with Hurricane Maria in 2017.

The company also has extensive experience in new drug development, and this resume will help roll out the vaccine globally. Meanwhile, Johnson & Johnson's business continuity plan is helping to stabilize Johnson & Johnson's entire supply chain, "which is really addressing the crisis," adds Lefebvre.

Now, with the end of the year approaching and Johnson & Johnson's shot at the final phase of clinical trials, the drugmaker has assembled a cadre of global manufacturers and packagers to prepare the company to meet its goal of delivering 1 billion doses of the drug annually by 2021 Lefebvre said.