Public Radio of Armenia. Johnson & Johnson announced today that 60,000 people will be enrolled for its phase three trial of its single-dose coronavirus vaccine.
“This pivotal milestone demonstrates our focused efforts toward a COVID-19 vaccine that are built on collaboration and deep commitment to a robust scientific process,” said company chairman and chief executive Alex Gorsky in a press release, adding that Johnson & Johnson is committed to transparency and sharing information about the study.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease, said the Johnson & Johnson vaccine showed promise in earlier testing and may be “especially useful” in controlling the pandemic if it works as a single dose.
J&J’s vaccine is made with slightly different technology than others in late-stage testing, modeled on an Ebola vaccine the company created. Unlike the other three vaccines that started late-stage testing in the U.S., it requires only one shot, not two. Despite a later start to testing than some of its competitors, Dr. Paul Stoffels, J&J’s chief scientific officer, told reporters that the study was large enough to yield answers possibly by early next year.
