Johnson & Johnson has developed a vaccine that works differently than the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and is highly effective for preventing moderate to severe COVID-19.
The COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson uses existing technology that involves a virus called adenovirus, a common cause of respiratory infections. The DNA in the adenovirus is modified so that it produces a key part of the SARS-CoV-2 virus particle to which the body then develops an immune response. The adenovirus that delivers the SARS-CoV-2 DNA particle cannot multiply, so it does not cause infection. Because this system is based on stable DNA molecules, it does not require ultracold storage, making it easier to distribute.