Johnson & Johnson's Coronavirus Vaccine Candidate Begins Human Testing

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) has gained some ground in the coronavirus vaccine race. On Thursday, the pharmaceutical and consumer goods company announced that in pre-clinical studies, its Ad26.COV2-S vaccine candidate had demonstrated effectiveness in protecting on non-human primates from infection with SARS-CoV-2.

In contrast to other coronavirus vaccine candidates -- such as the one many observers view as the most promising, Moderna's mRNA-1273 -- Johnson & Johnson's produced its response with a single dose.

Based on those results, Johnson & Johnson has begun testing its candidate on humans in phase 1/2a clinical trials in the U.S. and Belgium. More than 1,000 healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 55, plus a cohort 65 and older, will participate in the trials. The company is also planning to conduct a phase 2a trial in the Netherlands, Spain, and Germany, and a phase 1 study in Japan.

Johnson & Johnson's Coronavirus Vaccine Candidate Efficacious in Pre-Clinical Studies; Human Testing Has Begun | The Motley Fool