Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ)’s wholly-owned pharmaceutical company Janssen Pharmaceuticals and its global research partners have discontinued their Phase 3 Mosaico study of Janssen’s investigational human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vaccine after it was found not effective in preventing infections.
The company said in a statement that no safety issues with the vaccine regimen were identified.
The Phase 3 study began in 2019 and involved approximately 3,900 cisgender men and transgender people who have sex with cisgender men and/or cisgender people, representing groups and populations vulnerable to HIV, at more than 50 sites across Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Puerto Rico, Spain, and the United States.
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While the study is being discontinued, J&J said further analyses were underway and it was hoped that the data from this trial would provide insights for future efforts to develop a safe and effective vaccine for HIV.
This is yet another setback in the search for a vaccine for HIV which has proven difficult for pharmaceutical companies because HIV mutates rapidly and is able to evade the immune system, among other challenges.
The virus attacks the body’s immune system and, if left untreated, can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
A number of other pharmaceutical giants are pursuing HIV vaccines, including Merck and Moderna.
Shares of J&J were down about 1.2% at US$170.34 in the early afternoon on Wednesday amid a broader market downturn brought on by the release of lower-than-expected retail sales and producer price index (PPI) data for December.
Contact the author at emily.jarvie@proactiveinvestors.com
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