A Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine has been found to be safe and generate an immune response in early trials. These are promising signs as research continues.
The results, published Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine, come from earlier trials. The more decisive results on the effectiveness of the vaccine are yet to come in a phase three trial, which according to the company would be available soon on Wednesday, ‘end of January’.
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine would be an important addition to the two already approved vaccines, as it would make more doses available, and it would require only one shot, rather than the two needed for the products from Pfizer and Moderna.
The results of the early trials released on Wednesday found that all participants in the experiment had developed neutralizing antibodies to the virus by Day 57, and that 90 percent had it by Day 29.
The vaccine has also been found to be safe, with common side effects such as fatigue and headaches.
Paul Stoeffels, head of the company’s scientific officer, told CNBC that the results show that the vaccine gives ‘sustainable antibodies’ and gives the company ‘confidence’ that it will be very effective.
However, the New York Times reported on Tuesday that the company was dealing with manufacturing problems, and that a plan for 12 million doses could only be realized by the end of February in April.