The study of Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine has been paused due to an unexplained illness in a study participant. CNBC’s “Squawk Box” crew discusses. For access to live and exclusive video from CNBC subscribe to CNBC PRO: https://cnb.cx/2NGeIvi

Johnson & Johnson’s late-stage coronavirus vaccine was paused after a participant reported an “adverse event” about 36 hours earlier, the company’s chief financial officer said Tuesday.

The pause will allow the data and safety monitoring board to thoroughly investigate the unexplained illness, CFO Joseph Wolk said in an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”

“We’re letting safety protocol follow proper procedure here,” he said, adding that pauses in trials are “not uncommon.”

“What it should also do is reassure the public that every scientific, medical and ethical standard is being applied here,” Wolk added.

J&J confirmed to STAT News on Monday that a “pausing rule” in the 60,000-patient clinical trial had been met, but declined to provide further details on the patient.

“We must respect this participant’s privacy,” the company said in a statement late Monday. “We’re also learning more about this participant’s illness, and it’s important to have all the facts before we share additional information.”

J&J began its phase three trial testing of its potential coronavirus vaccine last month, becoming the fourth drugmaker backed by the Trump administration’s Covid-19 vaccine program Operation Warp Speed to enter late-stage testing.

J&J has said it is using the same technologies it used to develop its experimental Ebola vaccine. It involves combing genetic material from the coronavirus with a modified adenovirus that is known to cause common colds in humans. Preclinical studies have shown the potential vaccine can generate a promising response in nonhuman primates and hamsters.

It’s unclear if the participant in the J&J trial received the vaccine or a placebo.

Dr. Mathai Mammen, global head of Janssen research and development at J&J, told investors on a conference call later Tuesday that the company still knows “very little information,” including if the patient received the vaccine or the placebo. J&J was informed of the illness Sunday evening and released a statement the following day, he said. Preliminary information has been sent to the data and safety monitoring board for review, he added.

“It’ll be a few days at minimum for the right information to be gathered,” he said.

Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, a former health advisor in the Obama administration, said it would “raise serious questions” if the participant received the vaccine.

“One adverse event is serious, especially when you’re considering a vaccine that you’re going to roll out to tens, hundreds of millions of people, maybe even billions,” he said on “Squawk Box.” “That’s the ultimate concern.”

Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, said the company has provided “no real information.” Because adverse events are kept confidential, he said, he’s not sure when the public will know more.

The trial pause is likely to add to uncertainty about when a safe and effective vaccine will be ready.

J&J isn’t the first frontrunner in the race for a vaccine to halt a late-stage trial due to an unexplained illness.

AstraZeneca announced on Sept. 8 that its trial had been put on hold due to an unexplained illness in a patient in the United Kingdom. The patient is believed to have developed inflammation of the spinal cord, known as transverse myelitis. The trial has since resumed in the U.K. and other countries, but is still on hold in the United States.

» Subscribe to CNBC TV: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBCtelevision
» Subscribe to CNBC: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBC
» Subscribe to CNBC Classic: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBCclassic

Turn to CNBC TV for the latest stock market news and analysis. From market futures to live price updates CNBC is the leader in business news worldwide.

The News with Shepard Smith is CNBC’s daily news podcast providing deep, non-partisan coverage and perspective on the day’s most important stories. Available to listen by 8:30pm ET / 5:30pm PT daily beginning September 30: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/29/the-news-with-shepard-smith-podcast.html?__source=youtube%7Cshepsmith%7Cpodcast

Connect with CNBC News Online
Get the latest news: http://www.cnbc.com/
Follow CNBC on LinkedIn: https://cnb.cx/LinkedInCNBC
Follow CNBC News on Facebook: https://cnb.cx/LikeCNBC
Follow CNBC News on Twitter: https://cnb.cx/FollowCNBC
Follow CNBC News on Instagram: https://cnb.cx/InstagramCNBC

For info on the best credit cards go to CNBC Select:
https://www.cnbc.com/select/best-credit-cards/

#CNBC
#CNBCTV