Johnson and Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) It has gained some ground in the coronavirus vaccination race. On Thursday, the pharmaceutical and consumer goods company announced that, in preclinical studies, its vaccine candidate Ad26.COV2-S had been shown to be effective in protecting non-human primates against SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Unlike other coronavirus vaccine candidates, such as the one that many observers consider the most promising, Modern‘s mRNA-1273 – Johnson & Johnson produced their response with a single dose.
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Based on those results, Johnson & Johnson has begun evaluating its human candidate in phase 1 / 2a clinical trials in the US and Belgium. For those studies, Ad26.COV2-S will be administered in single and double dose regimens; The company will use the assays to assess its safety, immunogenicity (the ability to elicit an immune response) and the potential to cause adverse reactions.
More than 1,000 healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 55, plus a cohort of 65 or older, will participate in the trials. The company also plans to carry out a phase 2a trial in the Netherlands, Spain and Germany, and a phase 1 study in Japan.
Johnson & Johnson aims to advance Ad26.COV2-S through the clinical study process in some haste. “The findings give us confidence as we move forward with the development of our vaccine and luxury manufacturing in parallel, having started a Phase 1 / 2a trial in July with the intention of moving to a Phase 3 trial in September. “said Scientific Director Paul Stoffels.
A number of large pharmaceutical companies, as well as numerous biotechnologies, are developing candidates for vaccines, drugs, or both to combat COVID-19. But while a couple of drugs have shown promise as treatments for the new coronavirus, no vaccine candidate has proven effective in a phase 3 trial, the critical step before one can obtain regulatory approval and be brought to market. for the public.
On Thursday, Johnson & Johnson shares broke the downtrend in the upside market, albeit by just 2%.
