J&J's COVID-19 vaccine shows strong activity against Delta variant

July 1 (Reuters) - Johnson & Johnson said late Thursday that its single-shot COVID-19 vaccine generated strong, persistent activity against the Delta and other highly prevalent variants.

Data showed that the durability of the immune response lasted through at least eight months, the U.S.-based healthcare company said, adding that its vaccine was 85% effective and could also help prevent hospitalization and death.

"Current data for the eight months studied so far shows that the single-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine generates a strong neutralizing antibody response that does not wane; rather, we observe an improvement over time," Mathai Mammen, head of research & development at J&J's drugs business, said in the statement.

The COVID-19 vaccine elicited neutralizing antibody activity against the Delta variant, first identified in India, at an even higher level than what was observed for the Beta variant, which was first detected in South Africa, the company said.

J&J has submitted data as a preprint to the website bioRxiv ahead of peer review.