Johnson & Johnson on Jan. 25 forecast as much as $3.5 billion in sales of the company’s COVID-19 vaccine in 2022, a 46% jump for the shot that has fared poorly compared to rivals. Additionally, J&J plans to take a more aggressive stance on deals for the company’s medical device unit.
A third booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine made by AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech or Johnson & Johnson increases antibody levels significantly in those who have previously received two doses of Sinovac’s CoronaVac shot, a study has found.
At least 1 in 5 Americans have been infected with COVID-19. In other news, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Gilead Sciences’ supplemental New Drug Application for Veklury (remdesivir) for adults and adolescents with COVID-19 who are not hospitalized but are at high risk of progression to severe COVID-19, hospitalization or death.
A fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine given to people over 60 years in Israel made them three times more resistant to serious illness than thrice-vaccinated people in the same age group, Israel’s Health Ministry said on January 23.
Pfizer Inc. Chief Executive Albert Bourla said on January 22 that an annual COVID-19 vaccine would be preferable to more frequent booster shots in fighting the coronavirus pandemic.
Three U.S. studies show that a third dose of an mRNA vaccine is key to fighting the Omicron coronavirus variant, providing 90% protection against hospitalization due to COVID-19, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on January 21.
In very young children, the Omicron variant of the coronavirus causes less severe disease than the Delta variant, according to a new study. In other research, new findings add to evidence that people with a certain version of a gene are less likely to develop severe COVID-19.
The World Health Organization on January 21 recommended extending the use of a reduced dosage of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to children aged 5 to 11 years old.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced it is requiring that non-U.S. essential workers such as truck drivers and nurses who are crossing land borders be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, effective January 22.
The Omicron variant, which is spreading far faster than previous versions of the coronavirus, is not likely to help countries achieve so-called herd immunity against COVID-19 – in which enough people become immune to the virus that it can no longer spread – leading disease experts say.
