Antibody, T cell responses for J&J COVID-19 vaccine support Phase III dose and regimen

Interim Phase I/II data for J&J’s COVID-19 vaccine show its ability to induce neutralizing antibodies via a single immunization is maintained in the elderly, like Moderna’s candidate, and demonstrates it has the potential benefit of stimulating CD8⁺ T cell responses in individual ages 18-55 and ≥65.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) revealed the safety and immunogenicity readout for 5x10¹⁰ viral particles of JNJ-78436735, the Phase III EMSEMBLE dose, and a two-fold higher dose in a preprint published on medRxiv. The data had informed the pharma’s decision on the dose and regimen for ENSEMBLE (see “J&J Starts Phase III Vaccine Study”)...