A St. Catharines pharmaceutical company wants to help with the global COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
Officials with Biolyse Pharma say they have the ability to manufacture up to 20 million doses a year, but they would need access to one of the approved drug master files to do so.
Representatives say they have formally issued a licence request to Johnson and Johnson to manufacture their recently approved vaccine.
If permission is granted, Biolyse wants to export the doses to a developing country unable to make their own.
Officials say they are also prepared to ask the federal government to use an emergency provision under the Canadian Access to Medicines Regime allowing the government to waive patent rights to start expedited production.
The regime is intended to address public health problems afflicting developing and least-developed countries, especially those resulting from HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other diseases
Earlier this week Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revealed Johnson and Johnson had warned him of potential production delays for their one shot vaccine option.
There is no firm date for when the Johnson and Johnson vaccines may start arriving in Canada.