1 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:08,960 Speaker 1: Welcome to Prognosis. I'm Laura Carlson. It's day three hundred 2 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 1: and fifty two since coronavirus was declared a global pandemic. 3 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:18,599 Speaker 1: Today's main story Johnson and Johnson's one shot vaccine has 4 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 1: been approved by regulators. We asked the CEO how he 5 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 1: plans to increase supply to get one million people vaccinated 6 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:40,559 Speaker 1: by summer. But first, here's what happened in virus News today. 7 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:50,599 Speaker 1: The Biden administration has already begun shipping almost four million 8 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 1: doses of Johnson and Johnson's COVID nineteen vaccine on Sunday. 9 00:00:56,320 --> 00:01:00,160 Speaker 1: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention formally recommend at 10 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:04,240 Speaker 1: the shot for adults. Now that all regulatory hurdles have 11 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 1: been cleared, providers can finally start administering doses of the 12 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:13,760 Speaker 1: first one shot vaccine. The first deliveries of the vaccine 13 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 1: will arrive as early as Tuesday. That's according to senior 14 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:23,040 Speaker 1: administration officials who held a briefing call on condition of anonymity. 15 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:26,200 Speaker 1: The officials said the shots will be shipped through every 16 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 1: distribution channel, including to states on a per capita basis, 17 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: as well as directly to pharmacies. And community health centers. 18 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:39,560 Speaker 1: The UK is trying to trace a person infected with 19 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 1: the Brazilian variant of the coronavirus. Six cases of the mutation, 20 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 1: which originated in the Amazonian city of Manaus, have been 21 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 1: detected in the UK, while five have been found. The 22 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 1: identity of the final patient is still unknown because they 23 00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 1: fail to complete a test register ration card, leaving health 24 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 1: officials without the information needed to find them. Over twenty 25 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:10,359 Speaker 1: million people in the UK have now been vaccinated, according 26 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 1: to Britain's Health Minister Matt Hancock. Finally, Russians are skeptical 27 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 1: of the locally developed spot NICK five vaccine. Some of 28 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:25,960 Speaker 1: Russians said they wouldn't take the injections the most since 29 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 1: the question was introduced in August. That's according to a 30 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:36,160 Speaker 1: February poll by the independent Lovada Center. The responses highlight 31 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:40,560 Speaker 1: problems with the inoculations rollout despite evidence that it is 32 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 1: safe and effective. And now for today's main story. Now 33 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 1: that Johnson and Johnson's COVID nineteen vaccine has been cleared 34 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:01,680 Speaker 1: by regulators, the company needs to ramp up doses fast. 35 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 1: J and J is looking for manufacturing partnerships to increase supply. 36 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:10,800 Speaker 1: The company wants to speed up its timeline to immunize 37 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 1: twenty million Americans by the end of the month and 38 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 1: one million by the end of June. Riley Griffin interviewed 39 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 1: the company's chief executive officer, Alex Gorsky. I spoke to 40 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 1: her about what else she learned from their interview. So 41 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 1: you recently spoke to the CEO for Johnson and Johnson, 42 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 1: Alex Gorski, about the recent authorization of their single shot 43 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 1: COVID nineteen vaccine in the US. So tell me what 44 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 1: does he see as the role for a one dose vaccine, 45 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 1: either in terms of the US vaccine campaign or or 46 00:03:57,040 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 1: more globally. Alex Scorski said, a one shot back scene 47 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 1: is going to be a critical tool in reaching populations 48 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:07,120 Speaker 1: that interface less frequently with the health care system, like 49 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 1: US top infectious disease specialist Anthony Fauci. He discussed it 50 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:14,839 Speaker 1: particularly as a boon to rural communities in the US. 51 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:18,760 Speaker 1: The impact that a single dose vaccine I think can 52 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 1: have on access and distribution around the world just can't 53 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:28,279 Speaker 1: be overstated. We have now three vaccines that have been approved, 54 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 1: we have dozens more that are in development. All these 55 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:36,040 Speaker 1: vaccines have been shown to be incredibly safe, incredibly effective. 56 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 1: Now that we have that kind of a profile, with 57 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:46,520 Speaker 1: a single dose that requires standard refrigeration um as you 58 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 1: would expect with very commonly used vaccines, and not for 59 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:56,279 Speaker 1: profit price, we think that that will significantly reduce some 60 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:59,480 Speaker 1: of the administrative some of the logistical challenges you know, 61 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:05,480 Speaker 1: associate add with the actual vaccine administration. Administering a single 62 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:08,359 Speaker 1: dose is going to be fairly cost effective for health 63 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 1: systems to a one and done vaccine. Doesn't require the 64 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:15,160 Speaker 1: time and the resources needed to orchestrate and schedule out 65 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:20,240 Speaker 1: a second dose. Administration and administering shots cost money, so 66 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 1: this will certainly lessen the burden on health systems around 67 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 1: the country. Finally, the Johnson and Johnson CEO mentioned that 68 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 1: price point here is a critical factor and will be 69 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:34,320 Speaker 1: important at global scale. Jange is offering the shot on 70 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:37,479 Speaker 1: a not for profit basis, which means less than ten 71 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:41,240 Speaker 1: dollars per regiment. Now compare that Defiser and bion Tech, 72 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 1: which are asking in the US thirty nine per regiment, 73 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:48,720 Speaker 1: or Maderna at thirty three per regiment. That's going to 74 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 1: create a more affordable option globally, and with the logistical 75 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:55,760 Speaker 1: convenience to boot. You can see it as the vaccine 76 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 1: of choice for many and low in middle income countries. So, 77 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:04,840 Speaker 1: given that jane J has now received emergency use authorization 78 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 1: for its vaccine in the US, what does the pace 79 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 1: of production look like for j and J moving forward. Yeah, 80 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:15,920 Speaker 1: so jane J is going to deliver three point nine 81 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:18,880 Speaker 1: million doses of its one shot vaccine within the next 82 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 1: twenty four to forty eight hours, Gorsky said, And the 83 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:25,599 Speaker 1: company wants to speed up its timeline actually of supplying 84 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:29,000 Speaker 1: enough vaccines to immunize twenty million Americans by the end 85 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:31,560 Speaker 1: of the month and a total of a hundred million 86 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:34,560 Speaker 1: Americans by the end of June. How are they going 87 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 1: to do that, Well, they're going to focus on two 88 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 1: different parts of the production process. First is its capacity 89 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 1: for making a live cold virus called an adena virus 90 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:47,719 Speaker 1: that's used in the shot to trigger an immune response 91 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:51,600 Speaker 1: that fights off infection. They actually have to create proteins 92 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:53,960 Speaker 1: and that takes some time to grow, so they want 93 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 1: to build out capacity there. Another space they want to 94 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:01,040 Speaker 1: augment is the company's phil finished process US. That's the 95 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:04,520 Speaker 1: facilities where the drug substance at the very final part 96 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:08,560 Speaker 1: of the production process are actually placed inside files. Phil 97 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:12,240 Speaker 1: finished capacity is fairly limited in this country and beyond, 98 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:14,760 Speaker 1: and as a result, the company is looking to increase 99 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: it in the future. I mean, I don't believe that 100 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:20,640 Speaker 1: there's ever been a time in history to see that 101 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:25,679 Speaker 1: many actual doses produced in that period of time. Based 102 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 1: upon the work that we've already done, as you noted, 103 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:30,240 Speaker 1: we're getting at three point nine literally within the next 104 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:33,800 Speaker 1: forty eight hours. And what's really important in this riley 105 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:39,200 Speaker 1: is that those three point nine million doses are regiments also, 106 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:42,240 Speaker 1: and so that means three point nine million more people 107 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 1: during the United States will be vaccinated. We're also simultaneously 108 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:51,440 Speaker 1: going through the regulatory approval process for our other manufacturing facilities. 109 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 1: Over the course of March, you'll see a ramp up 110 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:56,120 Speaker 1: to twenty million doses and then it will continue to 111 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:59,080 Speaker 1: wrap up the way that we just talked about by 112 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 1: June to a hundred billion doses. And and we are 113 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 1: doing everything we can, partnering um with the United States 114 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:11,400 Speaker 1: government and other external manufacturers to see what we can 115 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 1: do to accelerate an increase that number as well, so 116 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:18,240 Speaker 1: that uh in our goal consystem from the very beginning 117 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 1: is to achieve almost a billion doses by the end. 118 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:25,960 Speaker 1: We actually also heard from a Biden administration official today 119 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 1: suggesting that distribution and delivery are going to be a 120 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:32,840 Speaker 1: bit uneven across these early first weeks of March, but 121 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 1: we'll see more supply in the back half of the month, 122 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:38,480 Speaker 1: and it ramp up even further as we make it 123 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:41,960 Speaker 1: past March. You know, at this point, Riley, there are 124 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 1: several COVID nineteen vaccines authorized for use in the US, 125 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:49,679 Speaker 1: Johnson and Johnson's, of course, alongside now what's available from 126 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 1: Finzer and Maderna. What do you think it's important for 127 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:56,960 Speaker 1: Americans to know as more people confront whether to get 128 00:08:56,960 --> 00:09:01,079 Speaker 1: the vaccine and indeed which vaccine to it. A lot 129 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:04,520 Speaker 1: of our readers are listeners, and the generally the public 130 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:08,160 Speaker 1: are looking at the data and trying to compare results 131 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 1: out of clinical trials, and I think it's important for 132 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 1: them to know that you can't have a apples to 133 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:20,000 Speaker 1: apples comparison here. These clinical trials were conducted at different 134 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:22,599 Speaker 1: parts of the course of the pandemic, and J and 135 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:27,720 Speaker 1: J IS notably was really at peak infections around the world. 136 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 1: It's actually the largest COVID nineteen vaccine trial to date, 137 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:35,080 Speaker 1: and they had plenty of sites here in the US, 138 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:39,760 Speaker 1: of course, but also in places like Brazil and in 139 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:45,240 Speaker 1: South Africa where more transmissible virus variants have really dominated. 140 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:50,680 Speaker 1: I think what we've been particularly pleased with is that 141 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:54,960 Speaker 1: when you consider that our trial was done really at 142 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 1: likely the most one of the most challenging times of 143 00:09:58,040 --> 00:10:01,240 Speaker 1: this pandemic, so are are faced a clinical trial started 144 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:05,960 Speaker 1: in September October that did not finish until it's still 145 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:09,200 Speaker 1: not finished, we're ongoing, but was measured through January, and 146 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 1: if you look at the incidents rates around the world, 147 00:10:12,679 --> 00:10:15,400 Speaker 1: they were at some of their highest levels. Number two, 148 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:18,280 Speaker 1: our our trial is conducted on a global basis, so 149 00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 1: approximately our patients were in Latin America, I believe around 150 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:27,520 Speaker 1: for we're in the United States, were in South Africa, 151 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:32,840 Speaker 1: and in South Africa. Over the patients that were infected 152 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:37,920 Speaker 1: had the South African the one one variant, and we 153 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:41,120 Speaker 1: saw a significant number with the P two variant in 154 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:45,720 Speaker 1: northern Brazil. And so at a time when the infection 155 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:51,280 Speaker 1: rates were at among the highest, when we were seeing 156 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 1: these new strains at a very significant level, we were 157 00:10:55,120 --> 00:11:00,200 Speaker 1: still able to demonstrate very strong overall efficacy rates, but 158 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:04,640 Speaker 1: particularly in the severe cases where we saw efficacy rates 159 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:10,000 Speaker 1: higher than and we saw a pent of the time 160 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:13,280 Speaker 1: we were effective in keeping patients out of the hospital 161 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:16,000 Speaker 1: and keep them from dying, which we think are two 162 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:20,240 Speaker 1: of the more and most important data points for patients, 163 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:24,559 Speaker 1: for consumers, for health care systems to understand. The most 164 00:11:24,640 --> 00:11:29,320 Speaker 1: important point to note again is as a public health tool, 165 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:32,920 Speaker 1: Jane Jay's vaccine serves its purpose. It keeps people from 166 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:37,040 Speaker 1: getting very sick and was ad effective in keeping people 167 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:41,040 Speaker 1: out of the hospital and from dying. That is critical 168 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:44,240 Speaker 1: because that reduces the strain on the health system. I 169 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:47,640 Speaker 1: spoke actually with Michelle Williams and epidemiologists and the dean 170 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 1: of the Harvard Hands School of Public Health, and she said, quote, 171 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:53,640 Speaker 1: this is not the time to be quibbling over decimal 172 00:11:53,679 --> 00:11:57,280 Speaker 1: places where the levels of efficacy that we're seeing, and 173 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:00,720 Speaker 1: her message was really clear. Vaccines as a public health 174 00:12:00,760 --> 00:12:04,280 Speaker 1: tool are meant to keep people from getting sick, becoming hospitalized, 175 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:07,720 Speaker 1: and overwhelming the healthcare system. And that's precisely what Jane 176 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:16,320 Speaker 1: Jay's vaccine does. That was Riley Griffin, and that's it 177 00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 1: for our show today for coverage of the outbreak from 178 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:23,000 Speaker 1: one and twenty bureaus around the world. Visit bloomberg dot com, 179 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:27,000 Speaker 1: slash Coronavirus, and if you like the show, please leave 180 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:30,400 Speaker 1: us a review and a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 181 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:33,360 Speaker 1: It's the best way to help more listeners find our 182 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:37,800 Speaker 1: global reporting. The Prognosis Daily edition is produced by Tophor 183 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:42,760 Speaker 1: foreheads Magnus Henrickson and me Laura Carlson. Today's main story 184 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:46,800 Speaker 1: was reported by Riley Griffin. Original music by Leo Sidrin. 185 00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 1: Our editors are Rick Shine and Francesca Levi. Francesco Levi 186 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:54,960 Speaker 1: is Bloomberg's head of podcasts. Thanks for listening.