Phase 2 trial data published by Lancet shows India's Covaxin superior among peers
- In Reports
- 11:25 PM, Mar 10, 2021
- Myind Staff
India's vaccine against the coronavirus, Covaxin has received a great boost after the phase-2 trial data has been published by Lancet.
Codenamed BBV152, it is the first indigenously-made COVID-19 vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech. The vaccine is safe, has a good immunogenic response with no adverse effects as stated by medical journal Lancet Infectious Diseases on Tuesday.
According to the journal, "After either dose, the combined incidence of local and systemic adverse events in this study is lower than that of other Sars-CoV-2 vaccine platform candidates, and similar to that of other inactivated Sars-CoV-2 vaccine candidates."
The study also cautions that a close and concrete comparison may be difficult since “other vaccine studies have enrolled different populations and have employed varying approaches to measure adverse events”.
"In the phase-2 trial, BBV152 showed better reactogenicity and safety outcomes, and enhanced humoral and cell-mediated immune responses compared with the phase-1 trial. The 6 μg with Algel-IMDG formulation has been selected for the phase-3 efficacy trial," the paper added.
Dr K Srinath Reddy, senior public health expert, and founder, Public Health Foundation of India has been quoted by Hindustan Times as saying, "The phase 3 interim results showing efficacy of almost 81% will help build confidence in the vaccine. It is natural to see the amount of interest in taking the shot that is being currently seen, especially in upper and middle class."
Covaxin is successfully sailing through the ongoing phase-3 clinical trials, under which 25,800 Indian participants have been roped in from across the country.
So far, about 23 million doses of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin and Serum Institute of India's Covishield have been administered under the national immunisation drive that was initiated on January 16.
Image courtesy: Times of India
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