West Africa-Based Studies Show JNJ, Merck's Ebola Vaccines Provide Lasting Antibodies

Ebola vaccines developed by Johnson & Johnson JNJ and Merck & Co Inc MRK produced virus-fighting antibodies and appeared to be safe in children and adults, two studies conducted in West Africa show.
Both companies’ vaccines produced antibodies 14 days after the first of two shots and were detectable at varying levels in both children and adults for one year.
The results were published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
The vaccines target the Zaire strain of the virus, not the Sudan strain of Ebola that recently caused an outbreak and at least 56 deaths in Uganda.
One regimen tested a dose of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine (Ad26.ZEBOV), followed by a booster shot (MVA-BN-Filo) from Bavarian Nordic A/S BVNRY BVNKF, while another tested two doses of Merck’s vaccine (rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP) with eight weeks in between.
A third option followed the first Merck dose with a placebo.
Only Merck’s shot can potentially be given as a single dose, while Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine may need to continue as a two-dose regimen, Reuters noted.
A total of 1,400 adults and 1,401 children aged one to 17 participated in the trials.
Price Action: MRK shares closed at $111.85 on Wednesday. JNJ shares are down 0.31% at $179.21 during the premarket session on the last check Thursday.