Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin effective against UK coronavirus variant, says ICMR

at 4:30 pm
Vaccine Price

New Delhi (NVI): Covaxin, a vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech, is likely effective against the UK strain of the coronavirus, according to a study conducted by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on 26 recipients.

Covaxin shows a comparable neutralization activity of the vaccinated individuals against UK-variant strain.

ICMR’s National Institute of Virology scientist performed the plaque reduction neutralization test using sera collected from the 26 recipients of Bharat Biotech’s coronavirus vaccine against UK-variant strain.

“A comparable neutralization activity of the vaccinated individuals sera showed against UK-variant and the heterologous strain with similar efficiency dispel the uncertainty of possible neutralization escape,” according to a statement.

Taking to Twitter, Bharat Biotech said “Covaxin effectively neutralises UK variants of SARS-CoV-2 reducing the possibility of mutant virus escape”.

In the tweet, the firm also enclosed a link to the findings of it is research, which was conducted by scientists of the National Institute of Virology. The report, however, is yet to be peer reviewed.

The UK variant of the virus is considered to be 70 per cent more infectious and more lethal than the one from Wuhan. In India, 150 cases of the UK strain have been reported.

Covaxin was approved for emergency use by the drug regulatory authority in January. The regulator, however, said the vaccine’s use will be in the clinical trial mode, which means all its recipients will be tracked and monitored.

-CHK

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