J&J booster provides 94% protection
Welcome news for single-jab recipients
A booster dose of Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine provided 94% protection against the disease and increased antibodies significantly, according to the company.
“Our single-shot vaccine generates strong immune responses and long-lasting immune memory. And, when a booster of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine is given, the strength of protection against COVID-19 further increases,” said Dr. Mathai Mammen, global head of Janssen research and development with Johnson & Johnson.
New study results show that a J&J booster given 56 days after the first shot provided 100% protection against severe coronavirus at least two weeks after the shot, and 94% protection against symptomatic coronavirus in the U.S.
Globally, the protection was a little lower for symptomatic coronavirus, at 75%.
When the booster was given two months after the first shot, antibody levels rose four to six times higher. When a booster was given six months after the first shot, antibodies increased ninefold after one week and twelvefold after four weeks.
The booster dose is the exact same as the regular single-shot vaccine that is already cleared for use by the Food and Drug Administration. The safety profile of the second shot remained the same as the first.
Dr. Paul Stoffels, chief scientific officer at Johnson & Johnson, said the booster is expected to extend the duration of coronavirus protection significantly.
Separately from the booster news, J&J announced real-world evidence that its single-shot vaccine is 79% effective. In a study of nearly 400,000 people, vaccine effectiveness didn’t wane, even while the delta variant became dominant in the U.S.
Mammen said, “Our large real-world evidence and Phase 3 studies confirm that the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine provides strong and long-lasting protection against COVID-19related hospitalizations. Additionally, our Phase 3 trial data further confirm protection against COVID19-related death.”
J&J submitted the data to the FDA along with other global health organizations.
As the delta variant continues to fuel a coronavirus surge across the nation, interest in booster shots has spiked.
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory committee will be meeting this week to evaluate safety and efficacy data for a Pfizer booster dose that could be cleared for use soon. Moderna will also soon be seeking clearance for its mRNA booster shot.