New Delhi (NVI): Phase 3 clinical trial results for Bharat Biotech’s coronavirus vaccine – Covaxin – demonstrates that the drug has 81 percent interim efficacy in preventing COVID-19 and can neutralise the UK variant strains.
The company states that Covaxin has 81 percent efficacy in preventing COVID-19 in those without prior infection after the second dose.
“Interim analysis also showed that severe, serious, and medically attended adverse events occurred at low levels and were balanced between vaccine and placebo groups,” Bharat Biotech said.
Furthermore, the company stated that analysis from the National Institute of Virology indicates that vaccine-induced antibodies can neutralise the UK variant strains and other heterologous strains.
“With today’s results from our Phase 3 clinical trials, we have now reported data on our Covid-19 vaccine from Phase 1, 2, and 3 trials involving around 27,000 participants,” Bharat Biotech said.
Covaxin was approved for restricted use in an emergency situation by the Drug Controller General of India on January 3.
Phase 3 trials, the largest ever conducted in India, involved 25,800 subjects in partnership with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
The vaccine is stable at 2°C to 8°C (refrigeration) and is shipped in a ready-to-use liquid formulation that permits distribution using existing vaccine supply chain channels.
On Monday, as the second phase of the vaccination drive began, Prime Minister Narendra Modi rolled up his sleeve and got a shot of Covaxin at Delhi’s AIIMS to further dispel any fears.
This morning, the centre reported nearly 15,000 new Covid cases in the past 24 hours, with the active caseload increasing by around 1,700.
As of March 1, of these, the number of UK strain cases is 187.
-CHK
