South African Company Nears License to Sell J. & J. Covid Shot Across Africa

The South African drug maker Aspen Pharmacare announced on Tuesday that it was finalizing the first agreement to control production of a Covid-19 vaccine in Africa.

The deal, with Johnson & Johnson, would allow Aspen to bottle and market the Johnson & Johnson vaccine across Africa under the brand name Aspenovax. Aspen would then have the right to determine to whom the vaccine will be sold, in what quantities and at what price.

This agreement stops short of giving Aspen rights to produce the drug substance — that is, the actual contents of the vaccine. Instead, Johnson & Johnson will direct other facilities to make the ingredients to send to Aspen for the company to blend into vaccine doses.

Stephen Saad, Aspen’s chief executive, said his company intended to become a drug substance producer but it would take two years to reach the goal.

Johnson & Johnson confirmed in a statement that it had reached “an advanced stage in its discussions” with Aspen about the agreement.

The control over intellectual property of Covid vaccines has become a point of increasing contention in the debate over how best to address the huge gap in vaccine access in Africa.