S.Africa's Aspen signs non-binding agreement with J&J for COVID vaccine license

JOHANNESBURG, Nov 30 (Reuters) - South Africa's Aspen Pharmacare on Tuesday signed a non-binding agreement with subsidiary firms of U.S. company Johnson & Johnson as part of its negotiations for a licensing deal to package, market and sell the latter's COVID-19 vaccine in Africa, it said in a statement.

Aspen currently packages J&J's COVID-19 vaccine at its South African plant under contract, which means it does not have any pricing or distribution power over the product.

Aspen has signed a non-binding term sheet with two of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of J&J that will form the basis for negotiation of a definitive agreement on the manufacture and sale of an Aspen branded COVID-19 vaccine throughout Africa. (Reporting by Promit Mukherjee, editing by Estelle Shirbon)