Benzinga | Oct 28, 2021 12:20PM EDT

Millions Of JNJ COVID-19 Shots Sit Idle At Emergent's Baltimore Plant: Reuters

Around 30 million to 50 million doses of Johnson & Johnson's (NYSE:JNJ) COVID-19 vaccine manufactured earlier this year sit idle in Emergent BioSolutions Inc's (NYSE:EBS) Baltimore plant, Reuters reported citing two sources familiar with the matter.

Emergent said that it is waiting for FDA to approve the release of those doses. According to one of the sources, the agency must still inspect and authorize the plant before Emergent can ship newly manufactured drug substances.

The exact number of doses sitting idle could not be determined because Emergent only makes raw vaccine substances and does not fill vials with the finished product.

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

The two sources said that material manufactured for the J&J vaccine at the Baltimore plant before the April shutdown and awaiting FDA approval could be enough to produce as many as 50 million shots.

Emergent described the 100 million doses worth of vaccine material in an April Congressional hearing as being sidelined. The FDA has so far cleared nine batches of J&J's vaccine and three batches of AstraZeneca Plc's (NASDAQ: AZN). It has not been disclosed how many doses were in those batches.

Price Action: JNJ stock is down 0.08% at $163.61, and EBS shares are up 1.65% at $49.03 during the market session on the last check Thursday.

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