Johnson & Johnson Enters Phase 3 Clinical Trial... "Effective with Single Dose, No Need for Freezing Storage"

Largest COVID-19 Vaccine Trial with 60,000 Participants
Antibody Formation After Single Dose, Distributable Even with Refrigerated Storage

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] As the U.S. pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson announced that its COVID-19 vaccine candidate has entered Phase 3 clinical trials, expectations for COVID-19 vaccines are rising again. Unlike leading developers such as AstraZeneca, Moderna, and Pfizer, whose vaccines are unlikely to be released within this year or early next year, Johnson & Johnson's vaccine is known to induce antibody formation with just a single dose and can be distributed with only refrigeration storage.

According to foreign media including CNBC, on the 23rd (local time), Johnson & Johnson announced that its COVID-19 vaccine candidate has entered Phase 3 clinical trials, with up to 60,000 participants expected from 215 locations worldwide, including the United States. This is known to be the largest scale among COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials to date. Johnson & Johnson expects to obtain Phase 3 clinical trial results by the end of this year. If the results are favorable, regulatory approval could be obtained from the first quarter of next year.

Although Johnson & Johnson's vaccine is expected to be released later than vaccines from AstraZeneca, Moderna, and Pfizer, which have already entered Phase 3 trials, it is reported to have significant advantages over these vaccines in terms of efficacy, safety, and distribution. CNBC reported that Johnson & Johnson's vaccine can induce antibody formation with a single dose, compared to other vaccines that require at least two doses.

According to The New York Times (NYT), unlike vaccines from AstraZeneca, Moderna, and Pfizer, which are based on mRNA technology, Johnson & Johnson's vaccine is developed based on an adenovirus vector and can be distributed with refrigeration rather than freezing. mRNA-based vaccines require transportation and distribution at temperatures below minus 80 degrees Celsius, making vaccination difficult in hospitals without special storage facilities, raising concerns about distribution challenges. Therefore, Johnson & Johnson's vaccine is expected to have an advantage.