U.S. biotechnology firm Moderna Inc. is planning to file for the health ministry's approval of its novel coronavirus vaccine as early as Friday, several people familiar with the matter said Tuesday.
The request will be the third such application for regulatory approval in Japan and will be filed with Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Moderna's partner for its vaccine's clinical study and distribution in Japan.
Takeda recently said it finished the enrollment of study candidates in Japan for Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine in early February, and it is aiming to gain government approval and start distribution in the first half of this year.