New data shows that Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen Vaccine generates an immune response lasting 8 months and protects from the delta variant.
In a statement released Thursday, Johnson & Johnson reported data from two new studies that evaluated its vaccine’s efficacy. The company has submitted both studies to the preprint server bioRxiv. Previously, researchers had cast doubts about the single-dose vaccine due to reports of blood clots among vaccine recipients and reduced efficacy. However, recent data suggests that the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine not only provides long-lasting immunity but also protects against the variants of concern.
Current data for the eight months studied so far show that the single-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine generates a strong neutralizing antibody response that does not wane; rather, we observe an improvement over time.
Dr Mathai Mammen, Global Head, Janssen Research & Development
In one study, Dr Dan Barouch of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center tested blood samples from 20 volunteers. The volunteers were part of the vaccine’s Phase 1/2 trial. His team then investigated the level of antibodies and T-cell response in the patients over a period of eight months. Additionally, Barouch’s team also tested samples against the variants of concern. This included the highly prevalent Delta variant first discovered in India. Results revealed that a single dose of the Janssen vaccine generated a strong immune response against all variants, and levels of the neutralizing antibodies increased over time. Moreover, the T-cell response persisted throughout the eight months.
Protection from Delta Variant
In another study, a team of researchers took blood samples from 8 participants part of the Phase 3 ENSEMBLE study. The data demonstrated a strong immune response against the delta variant. The elicited response was much higher than that seen against the Beta variant first discovered in South Africa.
We see robust neutralizing antibody coverage of the variant
Dr Dan Barouch, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
The data from both studies confirm that a second or booster dose of the vaccine will not be necessary. Although the data is not representative of a real-world efficacy, it provides further evidence of the vaccine’s effectiveness against infection.
Source: Johnson & Johnson
