Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine could end up being a two-dose regimen if it proves to offer more protection than one, a White House adviser said on Thursday.
“Johnson & Johnson is currently evaluating the performance of its vaccine with two doses – in other words, its own booster,” Andy Slavitt, senior consultant on the COVID-19 response team, said in an interview on Washington Post Live.
“As long as the results are obtained, what the FDA has to say if the vaccine is approved first, there may be a second injection from Johnson & Johnson.”
The drugmaker announced a large-scale trial to test the two-dose regimen in November.
The company said it plans to enroll up to 60,000 participants worldwide for the study, which was carried out in parallel with a one-dose trial.
Participants receive a placebo or experimental injection, currently called Ad26COV2, followed by a second dose or placebo 57 days later.
“The study will assess the effectiveness of the experimental vaccine after the first and second doses to assess protection against the virus and the potential incremental benefits for the duration of protection with a second dose,” said J&J in a statement.
The company has already applied for emergency authorization for its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine, which has proved 66% effective against moderate to severe cases.
If approved by the Food and Drug Administration, it will face two-dose rivals Pfizer and Moderna, both more than 90% effective.
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