Johnson & Johnson launches late stage trial of COVID vaccine to evaluate safety & efficacy

American drug maker Johnson and Johnson has launched a new late-stage trial in the UK to test a two dozen regimen of its vaccine candidate Ad26COV2.  In a bid to expand the drug trials by geography and type, the company was planning to test the vaccine at 17 sites spread across the UK. For the purpose, the British arm of the study revealed that is was aiming to recruit over 60,000 participants in Britain itself and  30,000  global volunteers.

Read: UK PM Boris Johnson Urges Pakistan To 'guarantee Fundamental Rights Of All Its Citizens'

Read:  BioNTech Chief Believes Their COVID-19 Vaccine Could Lead To 'dramatic' Reduction In Cases

“The Phase 3 ENSEMBLE study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a single vaccine dose versus placebo in up to 60,000 adults 18 years old and older, including significant representation from those that are over age 60. The trial will include those both with and without comorbidities associated with an increased risk for progression to severe COVID-19,” the company explained on its website.

Johnson and Johnson had earlier signed an agreement for two-dose global Phase III clinical trial with the British government to run parallel with a 60,000 person trial of a single shot of experimental vaccine which was launched in September. If the results of the single-shot trial are positive, the company claimed it would simplify the distribution of doses as compare with leading rivals requiring two doses.

Read: Britain's Johnson In Self-isolation; Has No Virus Symptoms

Read: Boris Johnson Adamant About 'better Deal' With EU Despite Dominic Cummings' Exit

Pfizer promises results 

While the novel coronavirus infections recently passed the grim milestone of 54 million cases, American pharmaceutical company Pfizer said that the interim analysis of its vaccine produced along with German partner BioNTech group has shown promising results, meaning it is on track to file an emergency use application with American regulators as early as later this month.

The company aims at delivering 300 million doses of the vaccine around the world by April. Sahin said that it would be too late to prevent the world from the second wave of the pandemic but at least this would ensure that the west enjoys a "normal winter" next year.

 Image: AP