Johnson & Johnson booster shot increases infection protection

Photo: Alexandru Pavalache/Getty Images

A second dose of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine raises its protection against symptomatic infection to similar levels as the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, the company shared on Tuesday.

When administered eight weeks after the first dose, a Johnson & Johnson booster shot provides 94% protection against moderate to severe symptomatic COVID-19 infections, according to the company's U.S. data. That protection waned to 75% effectiveness at the global scale.

Johnson & Johnson also studied participants' antibody response and found that a second dose given two months after the first raised antibody levels "four to six times higher than observed after the single shot." When given six months after the first dose, those levels increased ninefold after one week and twelvefold after four weeks, according to the company.

Although the booster displayed high efficacy in the study, the results were calculated after only 36 days, meaning the long-term protection from the booster shot is still unknown.

In addition to the booster shot data, Johnson & Johnson also provided updated efficacy information for its single-shot regime, as well as data for its effectiveness in the real world.

Compared to the numbers it shared in April, these new figures have lowered slightly. A single shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is now estimated to provide 75% protection against severe or critical COVID-19, down from 85% in the spring.

In the real world, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been 79% effective against COVID-19 infections and 81% effective at preventing hospitalizations.

Johnson & Johnson has submitted its data to regulators and plans to get it peer-reviewed and published in the coming months.

WHY THIS MATTERS

The release of this data comes in the middle of a global debate on COVID-19 vaccine booster shots.

Discussions around additional doses ramped up last month following the White House's promise to start administering booster shots this week. The availability of the booster, however, is ultimately up to the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's independent investigations.

The White House's announcement received backlash from numerous sources, including the World Health Organization, which has called for a moratorium on booster shots until there is better global vaccine equity.

Two former senior officials at the FDA, who reportedly left their posts over the pending booster shot decision, also publicly opposed booster shots among the general population for the time being.

Ultimately, the FDA unanimously voted last week to approve emergency use authorization for a Pfizer vaccine booster shot for individuals 65 years and older and for individuals of any age at high risk of severe COVID-19. At the same time, the regulator shut down the prospect of booster shots for the general public.

THE LARGER TREND

In addition to being the first to get the green light for an additional dose of its vaccine, Pfizer was also the first to get fully approved by the FDA. The drugmaker is also looking to get its shot approved for kids ages five to 11.

Even as more than half of the total population is fully vaccinated, new cases, hospitalizations and deaths are on the rise, according to the CDC.

To try and curb the recent spike, President Biden issued a sweeping vaccination mandate that requires shots for federal workers, healthcare workers at Medicare and Medicaid participating hospitals and employees at companies with 100-plus employees.

ON THE RECORD

"Our large real-world evidence and Phase 3 studies confirm that the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine provides strong and long-lasting protection against COVID-19-related hospitalizations. Additionally, our Phase 3 trial data further confirm protection against COVID-19-related death," Dr. Mathai Mammen, Global Head of Janssen Research and Development for Johnson & Johnson, said in a statement.

"Our single-shot vaccine generates strong immune responses and long-lasting immune memory. And, when a booster of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine is given, the strength of protection against COVID-19 further increases."

Twitter: @HackettMallory
Email the writer: mhackett@himss.org