By Olivia Bugault

Sanofi SA said Tuesday that it is pursuing the accelerated development of a potential Covid-19 vaccine, with the aim of making it available by the first half of 2021.

The French pharmaceutical group had previously said it would seek approval for the vaccine--which it is jointly developing with GlaxoSmithKline PLC--in the second half of next year.

"Sanofi has capacity to manufacture up to one billion doses a year," it added.

In May, there were more than 100 Covid-19 vaccines under development, with big pharma names such as Pfizer Inc., Johnson & Johnson and Merck & Co. Inc. in the race.

Write to Olivia Bugault at olivia.bugault@wsj.com