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I helped create the Johnson & Johnson vaccine
A healthcare worker is holding a dose of Johnson & Johnson vaccine against the COVID-19 coronavirus, while South Africa continues its vaccination campaign on 18 February 2021 at Klerksdorp Hospital. (Photo by Phill Magakoe / AFP) (Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE / AFP via Getty Images) The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the COVID-19 single-use COVID-19 vaccine over the weekend. It is now the third vaccine to be distributed nationwide, behind Moderna and Pfizer and their two-stroke mRNA vaccines. Nearly 4 million doses of the newly approved vaccine were sent across the country on Sunday night, the first dose of which will be administered on Tuesday. Using another vaccine will mean for so many: for people who are itching to get a chance so they can see their grandchildren; to the families of the more than 500,000 Americans who died of COVID-19; but also to researchers and scientists who have worked tirelessly over the past year to create a solution to our global crisis. Hanneke Schuitemaker, PhD, vice president and global head of discovery for viral vaccine and translational medicine at Johnson & Johnson, is one of the researchers. She helped develop the vaccine and has since been involved in analyzing the data from the Johnson & Johnson trials. I spoke to her in April when she was at work for 14 hours creating a vaccine she had deeply hoped for. When her team first released their three-phase trial data, showing that their study determined that the vaccine was safe and effective in January, I set out to catch up. From her home office in the Netherlands, dr. Schuitemaker spoke to me via Zoom in anticipation of the milestone achieved this past weekend, telling me that her team is happy with their results, and that they have even cut time in their schedules to celebrate some. of their great victories virtually. But they are also not finished fighting. They are looking for ways to improve their vaccine, and plan how they will handle the new coronavirus variants popping up around the world. During our call, she leaned close to her camera, clasping her hands together, as if she were about to let me in on a big secret, saying, “There’s always more work to do.” The last time we talked in April, you were still in the early stages of vaccine development, and you had just chosen a vaccine candidate to work with, but you first tested it on animals. Now you are so close to getting your vaccines approved. how do you feel? “Indeed, a lot has happened. When we first looked at the data from our Phase Three clinical trial, it was 66% effective in the United States and 72% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID. This was after we already knew the efficiency numbers of Pfizer and Moderna. At first we thought – oh no, it’s not 90%. But then we realized that there is no direct comparison. And our goal has always been to have a vaccine that was 70% effective after one shot, because we know it will make a difference in this pandemic. This will prevent diseases significantly. When we examine the data more deeply, we realize that in countries and virus lines, or variants, we have very high protection against severe COVID-19. About 85%. Complete protection against hospitalization. And we had no deaths in the vaccine group when there were deaths in the group that received the placebo shot in our trial. This is quite an amazing result after one dose. What was your biggest challenge and your biggest win? “It was hard to keep everyone focused and energetic because the working conditions are so challenging. We can not celebrate our highlights because we are just all in our home offices, like everyone else. The team is dedicated, but to work day and night and be in the dark about what the results will be for so long? Sometimes it was hard. You come to the end of your rope. You’re tired. You want to sleep, and then you still dream about the vaccine. “But we are now campaigning for FDA approval. What am I really complaining about? We have a vaccine! ‘Did you do anything specific to keep the morale among your team? And how did you take care of yourself? ‘My team had a daily meeting where we motivated each other. We talked about the progress we have made. And that helped me personally go for a walk with my labrador, Figo. When I was worried, I would think: Well, the sun will rise tomorrow, right? Time will help us. Keep breathing. “The last time we talked, you worked 14-hour days. Is this still the case? “Sometimes it’s higher. But of course I have to eat my dog, sleep and walk. The time I work is still increasing in the evening. My dog is so fed up with it. He started barking. He is 11 years old and has never barked before, but now realizes he needs to make noise to get attention. Now I do my evenings with my laptop and he lies at my feet. He deserves attention, and it makes me realize that when I’m over, I have to log off and spend time doing nothing and playing with him. ‘At the moment there is a closure and a curfew in the Netherlands, so there is not much that can distract us. So we could just keep pushing and doing our job. This is not a healthy life. I could not do it forever. But I realize what a privilege it is to be a part of this. I must do everything in my power to end this global pandemic. It weighs me much heavier than the hours I have to put in. If a vaccine can be rolled out and it helps us get out of this crisis, it’s worth every minute. ‘It must be a lot of pressure, right? ‘Yes, it was a huge pressure, especially as soon as the virus variants came up. We had to get immune response data for all regions if we were to see lower immune responses in areas where there were new variants. Everyone kept asking me where the data was. What can you tell us? When will you know? I was like, I can not rush with this. We need to get people to do their job. I was ready to say that my internet had broken down so I could no longer take the calls. But it would have been childish. Now I feel more relaxed again, but there is still a lot of work ahead. The trial is still ongoing. We are working on the FDA authorization for emergency use. There are new challenges. You are quoted as saying, “Treatments save lives, but vaccines save populations.” Can you tell me more about that philosophy and how it kept you going? “What you see in this crisis is that we can treat people, but we see around the world that the healthcare system is overwhelmed. So, even if you have treatment, there are capacity constraints for who can receive it. If we can prevent vaccinations, we can save the population from the effects and suffering of this pandemic. And that’s why we work tirelessly. We need herd immunity to save the population. What do you think about the vaccination of vaccine so far? “I do not know for your country, but here it is going pretty slowly. It was heartbreaking to see these very old people who have been feeling unsafe for almost a year. But when they get the vaccine, it gives them back their hope. They can see their families and meet their grandchildren again. “But I think we can do a better job. I think we need to produce faster and more. All over the world I think we should do everything we can to get these vaccines for everyone. Will the J&J vaccine help with that? ‘Yes. With our vaccine, one shot is enough. It is ideal for people in remote areas because they do not have to come back after three, four weeks. It can be transported at more favorable temperatures than some of the others. I’m not saying it should not be implemented in the Western world, but I do think it could have the potential to be rolled out in more challenging parts of the world to bring the vaccine to everyone. Did you have your vaccine? “No! It’s funny, people say it’s not fair, because I worked on it all year. But I think it’s fair. Because everyone is dealing with this crisis. Everyone wants to be vaccinated. I think it makes perfect sense that people My only risk factor is my 20-year-old son, and I say every day that he should be careful. I do not run the risk of contracting the virus, so those who do Once you have been vaccinated. ”Once the process of getting this vaccine approved is complete, what are you going to do next? I know you have worked on other therapeutic vaccine candidates in the past, such as HIV, Ebola and HPV. after work or do you focus on new generations of COVID-19 vaccines? “I will do both. I am so proud of teams that have kept our other vaccination programs going. Our Ebola program is doing well. But we are also working on the next generation COVID-19 vaccines We need to find out: do we need to do an update for the line now circulating? As a virologist, I believe there is an end to what a virus can do mutationally. It still needs to be tied to its host. The less the virus spreads, it will stop the emergence of new generations that we will get out of this crisis. At some point, a virus must accept that it is neutralized by antibodies and can no longer escape. But we are figuring out what our next steps will be. “The last time we talked, you said it was all over, that you were going to hike to the Alps. Do you think this will happen to you this year? Do you hope that life will be normal enough that we can all do such things in the coming year? ‘Yes, I have two friends and we said on New Year’s Eve of this year that we’ll definitely be camping there this year. We will do this unless we can, due to COVID restrictions. But it is my hope that we will have more immunity so that everyone can move a little more. I’m so ready to walk for at least a week and think of nothing. ‘This interview is abbreviated for length and clarity. As you can see? How about another R29 goodness, here? Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccine FDA approved How does Johnson & Johnson’s single-vaccine vaccine work? Why are COVID vaccines only in rich communities?