The European Medicines Agency (EMA) rates the benefits of Johnson & Johnson’s corona vaccine higher than the risks. This means that the preparation can also be used in the EU.
The corona vaccine from the US manufacturer Johnson & Johnson (J&J) can be used without restriction in the EU after testing by the EU Medicines Agency (EMA). Although the active ingredient can cause blood clots in very rare cases, similar to the AstraZeneca vaccine, the benefits of the vaccine are greater than the risks. A corresponding warning should be attached. The US company’s corona vaccine has been approved in the EU since mid-March, but was not used due to possible serious side effects. Last week, the US authorities also advised a temporary suspension of vaccinations with the drug after the occurrence of isolated thromboses. J&J then postponed delivery of the vaccine to the EU, which had only started early last week. The vaccine was developed by the Belgian Johnson subsidiary Janssen. The EU Commission has already ordered 200 million vaccine doses from J&J. Germany would receive 36.7 million of this. It is the second time that the EMA is re-examining a corona vaccine after approval. Cerebral vein thrombosis had also occurred with the active ingredient from the Swedish-British manufacturer AstraZeneca, especially in younger women. The cases with the Johnson preparation are very similar to those with the Covid-19 vaccine from AstraZeneca, the experts have now also determined.
Annual forecast raised
In the first quarter, J&J made $ 100 million on its corona vaccine. 7.2 million doses of the vaccine, which was approved in the USA at the end of February, have so far been injected there, according to the company. J&J does not want to make any profits from it. Similar to AstraZeneca, the US company has also committed itself to producing its vaccine at cost price. Nevertheless, J&J, spurred on by good quarterly figures, has raised its forecast for the full year. According to this, the group is aiming for earnings per share of at least $ 9.42 instead of the previous $ 9.40. J&J is also more optimistic about sales than at the beginning of the year.
J&J makes vector vaccine
As with the corona vaccine from competitor AstraZeneca and the Russian vaccine Sputnik V, it is a vector vaccine. A so-called adenovirus is used as a vector. This usually triggers a common cold, but has been modified to prevent it from multiplying. The vector sends genetic instructions to the cells to produce a specific protein from the Covid-19 pathogen Sars-CoV-2. In this way, the immune system is prepared to fight the real corona virus. The J&J vaccine was initially considered a “real miracle weapon” because it can be stored at refrigerator temperature and one vaccine dose is sufficient to achieve a comprehensive immunization.
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