Johnson & Johnson tests 10 variants of coronavirus vaccine

Group eyes human trials in fall, utilizing Ebola and HIV knowledge

20200321N coronavirus vaccines

Johnson & Johnson's Dutch unit Janssen Vaccines & Prevention started development of a vaccine for the new coronavirus in January as soon as the genetic code became available. © Reuters

HIROKO NISHIMURA, Nikkei staff writer

NEW YORK -- Johnson & Johnson is leveraging its technologies used in the development of vaccines for Ebola, Zika, and HIV in a race to stop the spread of COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus. 

The deadly outbreak has galvanized researchers across the globe, and countries and companies are rushing find treatments and develop a vaccine as the death toll rises. On Tuesday, the Chinese government said an influenza medicine, Avigan, developed by a group company of Japan's Fujifilm Holdings, is effective against the coronavirus.

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