NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (Reuters) — Johnson & Johnson said on Friday it had submitted for emergency use listing of its COVID-19 vaccine to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The company said the process is a prerequisite to supply vaccines to the COVAX vaccine program co-led by WHO, which aims to deliver doses to poor and middle-income countries.

J&J entered into an agreement in December in support of the COVAX program.

The company and Gavi, which also co-leads the COVAX program, expect to enter into an advance purchase agreement that would provide up to 500 million doses of the single-dose vaccine to COVAX through 2022, J&J said.