EU signs supply deal with J&J on potential COVID-19 vaccine

FILE PHOTO: The company logo for Johnson & Johnson is displayed to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the company's listing at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., September 17, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

The European Commission said on Wednesday it had signed a contract on behalf of EU states with U.S. drugmaker Johnson & Johnson for the supply of 400 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

The move follows an advance purchase agreement signed by Brussels with Johnson & Johnson earlier in October.

FILE PHOTO: European Union flags flutter outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium August 21, 2020. REUTERS/Yves Herman

(Reporting by Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio; Editing by John Chalmers)