Belgium’s Janssen starts Covid-19 vaccine clinical trials in PH — DOST

MANILA, Philippines — Belgium-based Janssen Pharmaceuticals has already started its Covid-19 vaccine clinical trials in the country, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said Friday.

“As an update to the three FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved vaccine developers to conduct clinical trials in the Philippines, Janssen Pharmaceuticals has already started with their trials,” DOST Undersecretary Dr. Rowena Cristina Guevara said in a press briefing hosted by the Department of Health (DOH).

She added that site preparations are ongoing for the clinical trials of vaccine developers Clover and Sinovac.

Guevara refused to disclose other details of Janssen’s trials, including the number of individuals who are participating, saying information on independent clinical trials can only be disclosed by the vaccine developers.

In a statement issued on Friday evening, the DOST reiterated earlier information that Janssen has identified trial sites in Metro Manila, Calabarzon, and Western Visayas.

Janssen, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson (J&J), was the first vaccine manufacturer to be approved by the local FDA in December to conduct clinical trials in the country.

According to the J&J website, Janssen’s single-shot vaccine is 72 percent effective in the United States and 66 percent effective overall in preventing moderate to severe Covid-19, 28 days after vaccination.

The company added that its vaccine is “85% effective overall in preventing severe disease and demonstrated complete protection against Covid-19 related hospitalization and death as of Day 28.”

EDV/MUF