Janssen to start coronavirus vaccine trials this week

Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson will start clinical trials of its coronavirus vaccine in the Philippines this week, according to DoST Secretary Fortunato de la PeŁa.

De la PeŁa said Janssen's trial would take about a month and that Sinovac Biotech Ltd. and Clover Biopharmaceuticals' trials would start either in February or March.

The FDA approved Janssen’s clinical trial application in December, with the requirement that sites should have high incidence of COVID-19 cases for two weeks before the trials.