Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine likely to arrive in July.

The Covid-19 vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson will likely be available in India in small quantities by July this year, sources said.

The Association of Healthcare Providers (India) is in the process of privately procuring the vaccine directly from the US-based manufacturer.

Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine could arrive in India as early as July, though it will be limited to a few thousand doses initially. The one-shot vaccine will be priced at $25 in India.

The viral vector vaccine does not need to be stored frozen and is suitable for a country like India, which lacks the healthcare infrastructure for storage of vaccines in sub-zero temperatures in tier-2 regions and beyond.

Johnson & Johnson has already initiated talks with the Union government to authenticate its manufacturing process and specifications in the country. The US pharmaceutical major had approached the Centre earlier in April with the objective of starting a clinical bridging study in India. Now, according to new rules, it is not mandatory for a vaccine approved by the US drug regulator to conduct bridging trials in India. With this, the vaccine is expected to be cleared for use in India in the coming months.