Moderna finds stainless steel particles in shots pulled in Japan

US drugmaker and distributor Takeda say no undue risk to public

20210901N Moderna

The 1.6 million doses of Moderna's vaccine were withdrawn for containing particles of stainless steel, likely due to misaligned bottling components, (Photo by Shinya Sawai)

KENYA AKAMA, Nikkei staff writer

TOKYO -- Vials of coronavirus vaccine developed by Moderna contained particles of stainless steel, the U.S. drugmaker said Wednesday in a statement with Japanese distributor Takeda Pharmaceutical, revealing why roughly 1.6 million doses in Japan were withdrawn.

The particles do "not pose an undue risk to patient safety," and they "are unlikely to result in other adverse reactions beyond the local site of the injection," according to the statement.

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