Johnson & Johnson CEO on potential coronavirus vaccine: ‘I think we’ll have important data by the end of the year’ – Fox News

In an exclusive interview on Sunday Morning Futures, Alex Gorsky, the CEO of Johnson & Johnson,discussed his companys efforts to develop a vaccine for COVID-19, saying, I think well have important data by the end of the year.

Gorsky discussed the goals as many hospitals have beenoverwhelmed amid the coronavirus pandemic, with officials saying they wererunning out of protective gear and ventilators to keep up with the influx of patients infected with the novel coronavirus.

Last month, Johnson & Johnson announced that its Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies would further expedite its investigational coronavirus vaccine program through an expanded collaboration with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, part of the Department of Health & Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response.

Company executives also said last month that in addition to Janssens efforts to develop a vaccine, it was working closely with global partners to screen its library of antiviral molecules to accelerate the discovery of potential COVID-19 treatments in an effort to provide relief for patients around the world.

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Host Maria Bartiromo noted on Sunday that Johnson &Johnson will be conducting human clinical trials for the COVID-19 vaccine thisNovember.

The most important thingthat we can do is stop the virusfrom occurring in the firstplace, Gorsky told Bartiromo. I want to highlight the effortsof our science system around theworld who really, back in lateDecember and early January... quickly ramped up in aprocess that can typically take anywherebetween five to seven years, and theywere able to do it in a matterof weeks and months.

He went on to say that Johnson & Johnson was working hard with partners around the world including the Food and Drug Administration [FDA], academic institutions and theorganizations responsible forvaccines in the United States and in Europe, to do everythingwe can to accelerate thedevelopment.

We continue to runour different clinical trials, he continued. We expect to be starting upvery soon, likely within the nextmonth, and I think well haveimportant data by the end ofthe year.

He added that in addition to finding a working vaccine, the other really important component would be to have an adequate supply.

Right now, we are makingvery significant investment,somewhat at risk, knowing that weneed to have adequate supply inparallel with knowing that thevaccine actually works, he said.

When Bartiromo asked Gorsky if he was willing to takehis supply chain entirely backto America instead of relying on China foractive ingredients inprescription drugs, he responded, I think the facts are that most of the large companies now havelarge global integrative supplychains.

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I think we also recognize thatthis crisis provides us with anopportunity to make sure that wehave always got supplies, notonly on the global basis, but also ona national basis, he continued.I think what we want to bethoughtful of, as we go throughthis in [the] short-term, that weprioritize making sure that were getting the supplies thatwe need, and then, longer-term... the important changes andtransitions that we need to make in ourcurrent system to make sure itis protected.

Fox Business' Maria Bartiromo contributed to this report.

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Johnson & Johnson CEO on potential coronavirus vaccine: 'I think we'll have important data by the end of the year' - Fox News