Johnson & Johnson To Seek FDA Approval For COVID-19 Booster Shot: Report

Johnson & Johnson JNJ is reportedly planning to ask U.S. federal regulators to authorize a booster shot of its COVID-19 vaccine.

What Happened: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Friday that its expert advisory committee will meet on Oct. 15 to determine whether it should extend emergency use authorization for a booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen Biotech Inc. subsidiary. According to a New York Times article citing unidentified sources, Johnson & Johnson’s formal request to the FDA could come as early as this week.

J&J has not issued an affirmation of the report.

In a Sept. 21 press statement, Mathai Mammen, global head of Janssen Research & Development at Johnson & Johnson, said, “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.”

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Why It Matters: Johnson & Johnson would be joining Pfizer Inc. PFE and Moderna Inc. MRNA in seeking FDA approval for emergency use of COVID-19 vaccine booster shots. The three vaccines are still being administered under an emergency grant by the agency.

The use of COVID-19 booster shots has generated some confusion and controversy. Last month, an advisory committee of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention initially declined to endorse Pfizer booster shots for frontline workers, but that ruling was overturned by CDC Director Rochelle Walensky. The White House has advocated for COVID-19 booster shots — the president received a jab on Sept. 27 — and many critics of the Biden administration accused Walensky of politicizing the vaccination process by ignoring the recommendations of her experts.

JNJ Stock Action: Johnson & Johnson shares were trading at $160.47; its 52-week trading range spans from $133.65 to 179.92.

Photo: Wilfried Pohnke from Pixabay.