Preventing Ebola outbreaks
Johnson & Johnson’s Response to the Deadly Ebola Virus
Ebola is a deadly disease that threatens African countries and can cross international borders if it isn’t contained. The 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola Outbreak, responsible for infecting more than 28,000 people and claiming more than 11,000 lives, was a global crisis that spurred the world into action. In response, scientists at Janssen quickly accelerated work on a vaccine, forged new partnerships and mobilized to conduct multiple studies across three continents.
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Ebola is a deadly disease that threatens African countries and can cross international borders if it isn’t contained. The 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola Outbreak, responsible for infecting more than 28,000 people and claiming more than 11,000 lives, was a global crisis that spurred the world into action. In response, scientists at Janssen quickly accelerated work on a vaccine, forged new partnerships and mobilized to conduct multiple studies across three continents.
Featured efforts
Johnson & Johnson’s Macaya Douoguih on her commitment to prevent Ebola
Macaya Douoguih volunteered to lead an accelerated clinical program for a new investigational Ebola vaccine at the height of the 2014 epidemic in West Africa. She reflects on her experiences—and why her work must continue today.
Uniting innovation to deliver large-scale campaigns
The Rwanda Ministry of Health’s UMURINIZI campaign is the first large-scale use of the Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Monitoring Platform, a digital tool that integrates innovative technologies to implement vaccination campaigns effectively and efficiently.
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Our progress
15
Janssen clinical studies
225K+
People have started Janssen’s Ebola vaccine regemin to date
Phase 1,2,3 trials
Trials show robust and durable antibody response
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The increasing frequency of outbreaks in Africa underscores that the threat of Ebola is not going away, which is why we collaborated to develop a vaccine regimen capable of inducing long-term immunity against Ebola and are working to ensure that it is accessible to people in need.
Penny Heaton, M.D.Global Therapeutic Area Head, Vaccines, Janssen Research & Development
Ebola: A timeline
The Ebola virus was first discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Over the past 45 years, there have been multiple Ebola outbreaks. The worst to date was the West African Ebola epidemic, which caused nearly 30,000 cases and more than 11,000 deaths in 2014-2016. The world’s second-largest outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which started in 2018 and was declared over in June 2020, caused more than 3,300 cases and over 2,200 deaths.
2002
Janssen begins vaccine research, with support from the National Institutes of Health, against filoviruses, which include Ebolavirus
2014
WHO declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) for Ebola outbreak in West Africa
2014
J&J commits to accelerate development and expand production of Ebola vaccine regiment; first-in-human study began in UK
2015
Announcement of IMI-supported consortia, including financial support from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). ‘EBOVAC-Salone’ study begins in Sierra Leone
2016
First clinical data for Ebola vaccine regimen published in JAMA. Johnson & Johnson completes submission to WHO for Emergency Use Assessment and Listing (EUAL)
2017
First long-term clinical data for Ebola vaccine regimen published in JAMA. New partnership with BARDA to support U.S. licensure of vaccine regimen
2018
Second-largest Ebola outbreak begins in North Kivu, DRC
2019
WHO declares the DRC epidemic a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). WHO’s SAGE committee recommends evaluation of Johnson & Johnson vaccine regimen in DRC
2019
Johnson & Johnson files for EU approval of vaccine regimen. Conditional approval under exceptional emergency granted by the Rwanda Food and Drug Administration
2020
European Commission announces approval of Johnson & Johnson’s Ebola vaccine regimen. Second-largest Ebola outbreak in North Kivu, DRC declared over
2021
New outbreaks begin in Guinea and DRC. More than 225,000 people have started regimen to date
2021
J&J announces it will provide up to 200,000 Ebola vaccine regimens to support a WHO early access clinical program launched in response to the West Africa outbreak
2021
Johnson & Johnson Ebola vaccine regimen receives Prequalification from the World Health Organization
2021
The WHO’s SAGE Committee recommends use of the J&J Ebola vaccine regimen both during outbreaks for individuals at some risk of Ebola exposure, and preventively for national and international first responders.
Working in partnership
Johnson & Johnson made a significant investment in the Janssen Ebola vaccine development program. We also forged strategic partnerships with a wide range of the world’s leading scientific and medical research organizations to accelerate our progress.
Development partners & funders
- Bavarian Nordic A/S
- Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)
- Europe’s Innovative Medicines Initiative (EIMI)
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Clinical program partners
- Centre Muraz
- Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations
- COMAHS, University of Sierra Leone
- Grameen Foundation
- Inserm
- Inserm Transfert
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
- Republic of Rwanda Ministry of Health
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo Ministry of Public Health
- The Ministry of Health and Sanitation Sierra Leone
- Uganda Virus Research Institute
- Université de Kinshasa
- University of Antwerp
- University of Oxford
- Vibalogics GmbH
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
- Wellcome Trust
- World Vision Ireland
Latest news
Johnson & Johnson Ebola Vaccine Regimen Demonstrated Robust and Durable Immune Response in Adults and Children in Data Published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases
Data show the vaccine regimen induced neutralizing antibody responses in nearly all participating adults and children 21 days after the second dose Adults receiving booster shots two years after initial vaccination regimen showed strong immune responses The data support the potential prophylactic use of the Johnson & Johnson Ebola vaccine regimen to protect adults and children
Johnson & Johnson Joins World Health Organization in Efforts to Prevent Spread of Ebola in West Africa
Up to 200,000 Johnson & Johnson Ebola vaccine regimens will be made available as part of a WHO early access clinical program now underway in Sierra Leone Company’s Ebola vaccine regimen also receives Prequalification from the WHO The Johnson & Johnson vaccine regimen is designed to be used proactively to induce immunity against Ebola in adults and children
6 Latest Facts About Johnson & Johnson’s Ebola Vaccine
In response to a new Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Johnson & Johnson is providing up to 200,000 doses of its Ebola vaccine regimen to the country for a World Health Organization supported clinical trial. Learn more about the initiative and other top facts about the vaccine regimen for the deadly virus.
Johnson & Johnson Announces European Commission Approval for Janssen’s Preventive Ebola Vaccine
This marks the first major regulatory approval of a vaccine developed by Janssen The Ebola vaccine regimen leverages Janssen’s AdVac® technology, plus Bavarian Nordic’s established MVA-BN® technology Janssen’s AdVac® technology is also being used to develop a vaccine candidate to prevent COVID-19
Johnson & Johnson Announces Commitment to Support Republic of Rwanda’s Preparedness Against Ebola Outbreak
Up to 200,000 Regimens of Janssen’s Investigational Ebola Vaccine to be Supplied to Rwanda for Use in Border Region near Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
Johnson & Johnson Announces Donation of up to 500,000 Regimens of Janssen’s Investigational Ebola Vaccine to Support Outbreak Response in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
The government of the DRC supports use of Janssen’s vaccine regimen as part of expanded public health response to country’s Ebola outbreak – the second-worst on record