Home » The Johnson & Johnson vaccine arrives in Italy: how it works

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine arrives in Italy: how it works

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Here we are. Finally, also in Italy, the administration of the fourth vaccine approved against Covid-19 is about to begin. Now it’s the turn of Ad26.COV2.S developed by Janssen, a Johnson & Johnson company. Made with the “technology” of adenoviruses as a viral vector, the peculiarity of the vaccine developed by the US giant is in the single dose, a feature that can potentially revolutionize the vaccination campaign. In recent days a bit of turbulence was generated by a note from the EMA which opened a file on this product because 4 cases of thrombosis had affected people vaccinated with J&J in the US. But the austere American body, the FDA, which has examined all the files, assures that there is no link between these thrombosis cases and the vaccine.

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How does the Johnson & Johnson vaccine work?

Unlike the already known Pfizer-BioNTech e Modern, Johnson & Johnson’s product belongs to the category of viral vector vaccines such as that developed by AstraZeneca and the Russians of the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology. The common goal of all vaccines is to make the immune system produce antibodies to the coronavirus spike protein. What changes in the case of viral vectors is the method by which this occurs. While for those with mRNA the information is injected directly, those with a viral vector contain a portion of DNA – which is used to make the spike protein – encapsulated inside an adenovirus. Once injected into the body, the virus – appropriately rendered harmless – releases the genetic material useful for producing the protein. A strategy that has already proved useful both in the production of the Ebola vaccine and for Covid-19. But unlike AstraZeneca e Sputnik V (the Russian vaccine of which EMA is currently reviewing the data in order to proceed with the authorization), the Johnson & Johnson product has the characteristic of being administered in a single dose.

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How effective is it?

According to the data analyzed by EMA – which led to the approval of the vaccine throughout the EU – resulting from the ENSEMBLE clinical trial, the vaccine has been shown to be effective in reducing symptomatic cases of Covid-19 by 67% two weeks after administration. . Effectiveness that reaches 85% in the prevention of severe forms of the disease. But be careful to think, as for AstraZeneca, that it is a series B vaccine. Far from it. The efficacy in avoiding hospitalizations and deaths 4 weeks after administration was 100%. Important percentages that vary, however, between the various geographical areas: 72% in the United States, 66% in Latin America and 57% in South Africa. The latest data relating to South Africa is particularly interesting, where variant B.1.351 is present. Although less effective, the vaccine has been shown to be useful against moderate to severe forms. But there is another data that bodes well: 41% of the study participants belonged to categories at increased risk of progression to severe forms of Covid-19, namely obese, diabetic, hypertensive, HIV-positive and immunocompromised people.

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The advantages of cost and logistics

In addition to having the advantage of a single administration, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has on its side the fact that it can be stored at a “refrigerator” temperature for three months and for two years at minus twenty degrees centigrade. A significant advantage in terms of logistics. Features that have a significant impact on costs. According to the company, even considering that the price depends on the negotiations with the EU, a single dose would cost no more than a few euros.

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The doses distributed in Europe

As for the countries of the European Union, according to what declared by the CEO of Janssen Massimo Scaccabarozzi, the doses that will arrive will be 200 million (the impact of the 15 lost due to a production error in one of the plants in the USA has yet to be assessed). by 2021. Of these, 27 million will be destined for Italy. In the meantime, research is advancing and several multinationals are starting trials for other age groups not included in the first studies (for example Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna). For the pediatric range in Italy, the reference center for the study of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is the Vittore Buzzi pediatric hospital in Milan.

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