'Johnson & Johnson's vaccine provides 71% protection against Delta variant': SA study

In yet anor boost to Johnson & Johnson (J&J), a South African study on Friday, revealed that company's Janssen vaccine offered protection against severe disease and death due to COVID's Delta variant. As per study results, single-shot Janssen vaccine offered 91% to 96.2% protection against death and  67% protection against hospitalisation against Beta variant - which is prevalent in South Africa. US pharma giant has applied for Emergency Use Approval for Janssen vaccine to Drugs Controller General of India.

Janssen vaccine prevents hospitalistion against Delta variant: SA study

study was based on single-shot vaccine ministered to 4,77,234 health workers in mid-February, stated trial's joint le investigator Glenda Gray at a media briefing. As per study, offered 91% to 96.2% protection against death and  67% protection against hospitalisation against South Africa's Beta variant. vaccine provides 71% protection against hospitalisation against Delta variant which is prevalent in India.

Previously in June, J&J announced that its vaccine generated strong, persistent activity against rapidly spreing Delta variant and or highly prevalent COVID variants. eight-month-long study which has been submitted to bioRxiv for review, showed that single-shot vaccine has neutralizing antibody activity against Delta variant at an even higher level than what was recently observed for Beta (B.1.351) variant in South Africa. Jannsen vaccine has been authorised by WHO and is available in most nations on an emergency basis.

“We believe that our vaccine offers durable protection against COVID-19 and elicits neutralizing activity against Delta variant”, said Paul Stoffels, Chief Scientific Officer at Johnson & Johnson. He ded, “This ds to robust body of clinical data supporting our single-shot vaccine’s ability to protect against multiple variants of concern”. study has stated that Jannsen vaccine was 85 percent effective against severe/critical disease and demonstrated protection against hospitalization and death.

Meanwhile, Janssen Research & Development chief Mathai Mammen said, "Current data for eight months studied so far show that single-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine generates a strong neutralizing antibody response that does not wane; rar, we observe an improvement over time. In dition, we observe a persistent and particularly robust, durable cellular immune response".  J&J India has stated that re is no requirement to conduct bridging clinical studies of COVID-19 vaccines in India.   single-dose vaccine is stored at 2° to 8°C and has an easy delivery system.