<p> Johnson & Johnson has announced that new preliminary results from a South African study has shown that the homologous booster shot of the company's Covid-19 vaccine (Ad26.COV2.S) demonstrated 85 per cent effectiveness against the virus-related hospitalisation in South Africa after Omicron became the dominant variant.</p>.<p>The South African Phase 3b Sisonke study, conducted by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), showed that the Johnson & Johnson booster reduced the risk of hospitalisation from Covid-19 among healthcare workers in the country.</p>.<p>"The data showing the effectiveness of the Ad26.COV.2 vaccine booster against Omicron in Sisonke is important, as this vaccine is part of our arsenal to combat Covid-19," Nicholas Crisp, the Deputy Director General of the South African National Department of Health, said in a statement.</p>.<p>A second, separate analysis of the immune response to different vaccine regimens, conducted by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), demonstrated that a heterologous booster (different vaccine) of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine in individuals who initially received the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine generated a 41-fold increase in neutralising antibody responses by four weeks following the booster and a 5-fold increase in CD8+ T-cells to Omicron by two weeks.</p>.<p>A homologous booster with BNT162b2 generated a 17-fold increase in neutralising antibodies by four weeks following the boost and a 1.4-fold increase in CD8+ T-cells by two weeks.</p>.<p>"Data from the Sisonke 2 study confirm that the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 booster shot provides 85 per cent effectiveness against hospitalisation in areas where Omicron is dominant," said Mathai Mammen, M.D., Ph.D., Global Head, Janssen Research &amp; Development, LLC, Johnson & Johnson.</p>.<p>The data have been submitted to the pre-print server medRxiv by the studies' authors, with anticipation of publication in peer-reviewed journals.</p>.<p>Data from the Sisonke 2 trial, which included 227,310 healthcare workers in South Africa who received the single-shot Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine as a primary dose, show that the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 booster increased vaccine effectiveness (VE) against hospitalisation to 85 per cent.</p>.<p>When a booster shot was administered six to nine months after a primary single dose, VE increased over time from 63 per cent at 0-13 days, to 84 per cent at 14-27 days and 85 per cent at 1-2 months post-boost.</p>.<p>Sisonke 2 was conducted in approximately 350 vaccination centres across all nine provinces of South Africa.</p>.<p>Utilising data from a South African managed care organisation, trial investigators determined VE of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 booster shot (ni,092) as compared to other individuals enrolled in the same managed care organisation, during the period from November 15, 2021, through December 20, 2021.</p>.<p>Check out DH's latest videos:</p>
<p> Johnson & Johnson has announced that new preliminary results from a South African study has shown that the homologous booster shot of the company's Covid-19 vaccine (Ad26.COV2.S) demonstrated 85 per cent effectiveness against the virus-related hospitalisation in South Africa after Omicron became the dominant variant.</p>.<p>The South African Phase 3b Sisonke study, conducted by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), showed that the Johnson & Johnson booster reduced the risk of hospitalisation from Covid-19 among healthcare workers in the country.</p>.<p>"The data showing the effectiveness of the Ad26.COV.2 vaccine booster against Omicron in Sisonke is important, as this vaccine is part of our arsenal to combat Covid-19," Nicholas Crisp, the Deputy Director General of the South African National Department of Health, said in a statement.</p>.<p>A second, separate analysis of the immune response to different vaccine regimens, conducted by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), demonstrated that a heterologous booster (different vaccine) of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine in individuals who initially received the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine generated a 41-fold increase in neutralising antibody responses by four weeks following the booster and a 5-fold increase in CD8+ T-cells to Omicron by two weeks.</p>.<p>A homologous booster with BNT162b2 generated a 17-fold increase in neutralising antibodies by four weeks following the boost and a 1.4-fold increase in CD8+ T-cells by two weeks.</p>.<p>"Data from the Sisonke 2 study confirm that the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 booster shot provides 85 per cent effectiveness against hospitalisation in areas where Omicron is dominant," said Mathai Mammen, M.D., Ph.D., Global Head, Janssen Research &amp; Development, LLC, Johnson & Johnson.</p>.<p>The data have been submitted to the pre-print server medRxiv by the studies' authors, with anticipation of publication in peer-reviewed journals.</p>.<p>Data from the Sisonke 2 trial, which included 227,310 healthcare workers in South Africa who received the single-shot Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine as a primary dose, show that the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 booster increased vaccine effectiveness (VE) against hospitalisation to 85 per cent.</p>.<p>When a booster shot was administered six to nine months after a primary single dose, VE increased over time from 63 per cent at 0-13 days, to 84 per cent at 14-27 days and 85 per cent at 1-2 months post-boost.</p>.<p>Sisonke 2 was conducted in approximately 350 vaccination centres across all nine provinces of South Africa.</p>.<p>Utilising data from a South African managed care organisation, trial investigators determined VE of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 booster shot (ni,092) as compared to other individuals enrolled in the same managed care organisation, during the period from November 15, 2021, through December 20, 2021.</p>.<p>Check out DH's latest videos:</p>