Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) announced the selection of a lead COVID-19 vaccine candidate from the constructs it has been working on since January. Under an accelerated timeline, the company is planning to begin a Phase 1 clinical study in September 2020, with clinical data on safety and efficacy expected to be available by the end of the current year. The company noted that this could allow vaccine availability for emergency use in early 2021.

BARDA, which is part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Johnson & Johnson together have committed more than $1 billion of investment to co-fund vaccine research, development, and clinical testing.

Johnson & Johnson said the company is also expanding its global manufacturing capacity with the goal of providing global supply of more than one billion doses of a vaccine.

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