India’s coronavirus vaccine candidate, Covaxin, will be at least 60 per cent effective, said vaccine manufacturer Bharat Biotech on Sunday based on the trial data of the vaccine candidate. The company said while it aimed to achieve at least 60 per cent efficacy, it could actually be more. “Chances of the vaccine being less than 50 per cent effective are remote, as suggested by our trial results so far,” it said.
According to the World Health Organization, clear demonstration of efficacy (on a population basis) ideally with 50 per cent point estimate should be a minimum criterion for any coronavirus vaccine candidate. It had also said that the efficacy can be assessed against disease, severe disease, and/or shedding.
The company, which is conducting the trails in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research, said on Tuesday that it had begun the third phase trials of the vaccine with 26,000 participants from across 22 sites in the country. Meanwhile, the Government may grant Pune’s Serum Institute of India (SII) with the emergency use authorisation of Oxford and AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine if the British-Swedish pharmaceutical company got such approval from the UK Government.
This was confirmed by a top official from the center’s vaccine expert group has indicated.
“We expect emergency authorisation for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to be sought in the UK. If so, it will give an opportunity for the Indian regulator also,” Dr Vinod Paul who is also a member (Health) of the Niti Aayog said to a news agency here.
The Oxford vaccine is already in its third and final phase of clinical trials in India, and if all things go as planned, the Covid-19 vaccine may be ready for distribution by January or February 2021.
An emergency authorisation of the coronavirus vaccine would ensure its proper administration based on the priority list, starting with frontline workers, senior citizens, people with comorbidities and so on, he explained.
Earlier this week, the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine produced a strong immune response in older adults, raising hopes that it can protect the age groups most at risk from the virus.
Monday, 23 November 2020 | PNS | New Delhi
