Benzinga | May 28, 2021 11:37AM EDT

Emergent BioSolutions Poised To Receive FDA Nod to Restart J&J COVID-19 Shot Production at Baltimore Plant After Mishap: WSJ

* The FDA and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) are expected to announce that contamination problems at Emergent BioSolutions Inc's (NYSE:EBS) Baltimore Bayview plant have been resolved, and production is set to resume, the Wall Street Journal reported.

* The deal with the FDA could free up already manufactured doses of the vaccine that have been in quarantine and allow for the production of new doses.

* The FDA had halted production of J&J's vaccine at the plant in April after an inspection flagged severe quality control and sanitary issues.

* As a part of the arrangement, 60 million doses of the J&J shots could be cleared for use.

* An additional 60 million doses of the AstraZeneca Plc's (NASDAQ:AZN) shot could become available as well, according to the Wall Street Journal.

* Robert Kramer, EBS's CEO, had previously offered mixed messages on what exactly happened to lead to the mixup but clarified in front of a House subcommittee that some of the problems arose due to having to produce two COVID-19 vaccines at large scale, which the company said strained the capacity of its equipment.

* Emergent chief executive Robert Kramertold a House committee last week that the company had produced enough of a key ingredient to yield more than 100 million doses of the J&J vaccine.

* The company has been taking corrective measures and has been in talks with FDA and J&J over the steps needed to reopen the facility.

* Price Action: EBS stock is up 4.3% at $60.32, and JNJ shares are up 1.14% at $170.7 during the market session on the last check Friday.