J&J vaccine trial hits pause as US doubles down on antibody therapies
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) announced late Monday it was pausing shots in its late-stage coronavirus vaccine trial due to an adverse event, but plans to continue enrolling patients and stick to the current manufacturing timeline.
It is still unknown if the participant was receiving a placebo or the vaccine, a point that will be determined by an independent advisory group, known as the Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB). Another vaccine using similar technology from AstraZeneca (AZN) is still on hold after a serious adverse event from a trial participant triggered a halt in September. The trial has continued in the U.K., but remains on hold in the U.S.
“Adverse events – illnesses, accidents, etc. – even those that are serious, are an expected part of any clinical study, especially large studies,” J&J said statement late Monday, reiterating that “studies may be paused if an unexpected serious adverse event (SAE)” occurs