Major pharmaceutical company Shionogi & Co. expects to start supplying a vaccine against COVID-19 by as early as the end of this year, company President Isao Teshirogi said Monday.
This would likely make it the first COVID-19 vaccine to be produced entirely in Japan. Clinical trials began in Japan in December.
"Preparation for mass production is going smoothly. We'll do our best to provide the product as soon as possible," Teshirogi said at a press conference announcing the company's financial results.
Provided the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry approves the vaccine, the company will be able to mass-produce it for more than 10 million people by the end of this year, he said.
The company is also working on the development of medicine to treat COVID-19.
"We'll be able to deliver good news soon," Teshirogi said.
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