Dutch gov't to buy 8 million Covid vaccine doses from Leiden pharmaceutical

The Netherlands will get at least 7.8 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine being developed in Lieden by Janssen Pharmaceutica, subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, Minister Hugo de Jonge said in a letter to parliament on Thursday.

The European Commission signed a contract with Janssen for 200 million doses. According to the fixed distribution, the Netherlands will get 3.89 percent or 7.8 million doses of the total. The contract also includes an option for an additional 7.8 million doses.

The Janssen vaccine is being partly developed and produced in the Netherlands. If all goes according to plan, it is expected to hit the markets in the second quarter of 2021.

"Effective vaccines are extremely important; they offer a way out of this pandemic. We will of course have to wait for the testing phase and the authorization procedure, but I am proud that we may also be able to use a vaccine from Dutch soil," De Jonge said.

The European Commission also singed deals with AstraZeneca and Sanofi/GSK, both for 300 million vaccine doses. Here too the Netherlands will get 3.89 percent, or 11.7 million doses per contract.