Johnson & Johnson’s Vaccine Trial Is Put on Pause

After a participant in the Phase 3 clinical trial for Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine became ill, the study was put on hold while the independent Data Safety Monitoring Board investigates the illness and determines whether it is safe for the trial to continue. The 60,000 participant-study began on September 21, and with such a large subject group, it is not unusual for some adverse effects to occur. Public health officials are enthusiastic about this option as it only requires one shot to achieve immunity and does not require subzero storage. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is based on the carrying of a gene from the novel coronavirus—via an adenovirus—into human cells. This creates coronavirus proteins, which should elicit an immune response.

A Phase 3 clinical trial on a COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca in partnership with Oxford University was also halted after a participant in the United Kingdom (UK)-based study developed severe spinal cord inflammation. The patient has since recovered, and UK public health officials have given AstraZeneca the go ahead to restart the British-based trial. The United States-based Phase 3 clinical trial remains on hold. Read more here.