J&J has chosen a lead vaccine candidate that it began working on in January, but it likely won’t begin testing the vaccine on people until September.
After clinical trials, the first batches of a COVID-19 vaccine could be available for emergency use authorization early next year, J&J said.
The J&J effort will be funded in part by about $420 million from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, which is part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at HHS.
J&J said the funding from the government will allow it to expand manufacturing capacity to make 1 billion doses of the vaccine.
Currently, there are no approved treatments or vaccines for COVID-19.
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