Johnson & Johnson : Covid-19 Vaccine Candidate Elicits Strong Immune Response in Pre-Clinical Studies

By Mary de Wet

Johnson & Johnson said Thursday that its lead candidate for a Covid-19 vaccine elicited a strong immune response in nonhuman primates in preclinical trials.

The data, published in the journal Nature, showed the company's investigational adenovirus serotype 26 prevented subsequent infection and provided complete or near-complete protection from the virus in the primates' lungs.

Based on the strength of the data, a Phase 1/2a first-in-human clinical trial of the vaccine candidate, Ad26.COV2.S, in healthy volunteers has begun in the U.S. and Belgium.

Write to Mary de Wet at [e-mail]