UPDATE 1-Catalent to ramp up J&J vaccine production at Italian plant

Adds details on the capacity expansion efforts

March 17 (Reuters) - Contract manufacturer Catalent CTLT.N said on Wednesday it was scaling up manufacturing capacity for Johnson & Johnson's JNJ.N COVID-19 vaccine at its Italian plant by adding a new vial-filling line.

The line, added as part of an expanded partnership with J&J, is expected to be operational in the fourth quarter, Catalent said.

Catalent's Bloomington, Indiana facility currently provides manufacturing and packaging services for J&J's vaccine in the United States.

The move will help address some of the concerns regarding J&J's ability to meet vaccine supply goals in Europe.

A European Union official told Reuters in March that J&J had flagged possible supply issues, which could affect its plans to deliver 55 million vaccine doses to the bloc in the second quarter of the year. nL8N2L6519

(Reporting by Manojna Maddipatla in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva)

((manojna.kalyani@thomsonreuters.com; +91 8061822700;))