J&J, Sanofi, Inovio Hunt for Coronavirus Vaccines

Human studies for some could start in as soon as several months

Drugmakers Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi SA and Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc. have started to develop coronavirus vaccines, and human studies of them could start in anywhere from a few months to about a year from now. The efforts come as Moderna Inc. has shipped a batch of its experimental coronavirus vaccine to U.S. researchers for human testing.

J&J is using a vaccine technology that transmits the genetic code of the virus in a noninfectious carrier virus. J&J expects to begin human testing in about eight to 12 months, Chief Scientific Officer Paul Stoffels said.

Inovio’s vaccine contains DNA with the genetic code of the virus, and the company was able to design it within hours of learning the genetic sequence in January, said Chief Executive Joseph Kim. Inovio, working with the Wistar Institute in Philadelphia and two other companies, expects to begin human testing in a few months.

Sanofi will use a technology known as recombinant DNA, which involves developing a genetic match to proteins on the virus, to produce a vaccine. Sanofi, which is collaborating with the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, expects to start human testing in a year to 18 months.

More vaccine programs are on the horizon. The Norway-based Coalition of Epidemic Preparedness Innovations received about 48 applications for funding to develop coronavirus vaccines from companies, academicresearch institutes and other groups around the world, said CEPI CEO Richard Hatchett. The nonprofit, which previously provided funding to drugmaker Moderna and some other vaccine projects, expects to fund some of these newer proposals, he said.

“We want to move fast,” Dr. Hatchett said. “We want to have technologies that have the potential to scale up to tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of doses, and we want to develop our program in a way to ensure equitable access.”