Johnson & Johnson Could Have 100 Million COVID-19 Vaccines By April, Board Member McClellan Says

Bloomberg reports that Johnson & Johnson JNJ is on track to analyze data from its late-stage single-dose COVID-19 vaccine trial. Dr. Anthony Fauci said in his remarks at the White House that JNJ has enough data to begin analysis in a week or two.

What Happened: In December, JNJ said it had enrolled roughly 45,000 participants in the “Ensemble” trial, which is being conducted by its Janssen unit. It expects interim data from the trial by the end of January.

JNJ anticipates applying for emergency use authorization with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in February if the study shows the vaccine to be effective. According to Bill Gates, JNJ’s COVID-19 vaccine is one of the six vaccines expected to get a regulatory nod by the first quarter. 

Why It Matters: JNJ board member and former FDA Commissioner Dr. Mark McClellan told CNBC in an interview that the company can significantly increase the nation’s COVID-19 vaccine supply within the coming weeks. 

“I do know that J&J is making a very large supply, going all out with its production, both here in the U.S. and elsewhere around the world, with the goal of having perhaps enough vaccines for 100 million Americans by spring, by this April or so,” said McClellan.

CNBC reports that at least 12 states have reported vaccine shortages, and New York warned that it could be entirely out of doses by the end of this week. 

McClellan said that the vaccine supply will increase, but not enough to keep up with the number of Americans who want to get vaccinated now. “It’s going to be challenging, but I think the supply will be there over the next couple of months to vaccinate even more than 100 million Americans,” he added.

Price Action: JNJ shares dipped 0.40% to close at $161.73 on Thursday.

Related News: FDA Warns Against Tinkering With Pfizer, Moderna Vaccine Regimens After White House Advisor’s Comments