By Yasin Ebrahim
Investing.com – An advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration on Friday recommended approval of emergency authorization for Johnson & Johnson's single-dose Covid-19 vaccine, paving the way for a third vaccine to enter the fray and help lead the fight against the pandemic.
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) rose 1.6% in aftermarket hours
The FDA could grant that emergency use authorization over the weekend. It comes just days after the agency said the vaccine was 66.1% effective in preventing moderate-to-
The efficacy of the drug differed across geographies amid new variants. It was 72% effective in the U.S., 66% in Latin America and 57% in South Africa. While the vaccine was less effective at preventing illness in South Africa, it was still highly effective at preventing severe disease. The pharmaceutical giant's vaccine results, released on late-January Jan. 29, initially drew a lukewarm reaction from market participants following the 90%+ efficacy levels of other vaccines including Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA)'s and Pfizer (NYSE:PFE)'s mRNA vaccines.
Analysts, however, welcomed the late-stage initial clinical results and highlighted that JNJ's vaccine, with an 85% effective in preventing severe disease and hospitalizations/death, two primary drivers of the lockdowns and restrictions, would play a key role in reopening of economies.