One dose of Johnson & Johnson’s experimental COVID-19 vaccine yielded strong immune system responses in “healthy adults” against the coronavirus in a mid-stage clinical trial, according to welcome results published Friday.
Scientists said 98 percent of the 1,000 participants in the government-backed trial had “neutralizing antibodies” — which defend cells from pathogens — roughly a month after receiving the vaccination, according to results released on the medical website medRxiv, which have not been peer-reviewed.
However, it was unclear whether elderly and other at-risk people also showed strong immune system responses to the vaccine candidate, dubbed Ad26.COV2.S. Immune response results were only available for 15 participants over the age of 65, limiting analysis.
In subjects older than 65, the rate of adverse reactions — such as fatigue and muscle aches — was also found to be 36 percent higher than in young people, the results showed.
The largely successful results allowed the company to kick off its final 60,000-person trial Wednesday, which could lead to regulatory approval.
The company said it expects to see results of the final trial, Phase 3, by December or early next year.
With Post wires
