COVISHIELD Coronavirus Vaccine Adar Poonawalla Updates; Oxford Astrazeneca Serum India Institute Vaccine Trials Result Latest News Update | Why the Oxford vaccine results are more important for India than Pfizer and Moderna?

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After Pfizer, Moderna, now the final phase trials of the final phase of the Corona Vaccine-Coveshield developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca have come to light. Vaccine trials were conducted in two ways. The first saw 62% efficency, while the second saw over 90%. On average, the effectiveness was around 70%. This news is very encouraging for the whole world, it is very special for India.

What is the vaccine, who made it?

CoveShield or AZD1222 is formed by Oxford University and its company Vacitech. Chimpanzees have been used to weaken the cold-causing virus (adenovirus). It has the genetic material of SARS-CoV-2 ie Novel Coronavirus. Surface spike protein is formed through vaccination and it forms an immune system against SARS-CoV-2. So that in the future, if the novel coronavirus attacks, the body can respond to it strongly.

What are the new results related to the vaccine?

KoviShield’s initial analysis of clinical trials conducted in the UK and Brazil has yielded very good results. Trial was conducted in the UK at 12,390 Volunteers. He was given two doses. First half dose and then full dose. At the same time, 10,300 Volunteers were tried in Brazil. They were given two full doses. Half of the volunteers were vaccinated and half were saline placebo. No one has seen any serious health problems.

Ifficacy was 90% when half dose was given. A month later he was given a full dose. If both full doses were given, the efficency remained at 62%. The average efficency in both types of doses was 70%. All the results are significant in terms of data. Volunteers’ blood samples and immunogenicity tests will be done until one year after the vaccine is administered to find out the efficacy. Samples are being taken every week to check for infection.

Professor Andrew Pollard, Chief Investigator of the Oxford Vaccine Trial in Oxford, said, “These results show that the vaccine is effective and can save many lives.” We have achieved efficiencies of up to 90% with one regimen. If it is followed then we will get better results regarding the need for the vaccine and its use.

What do these results mean for India?

Oxford / AstraZeneca in India has a manufacturing contract with the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) in Adar Poonawala. SII is undertaking phase-3 trials of this vaccine in India. The results are expected by January-February 2021.

Vinod Paul, a member of the NITI Aayog and chairman of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration, said on Saturday that if AstraZeneca sought emergency approval in the UK and got it, then KoviShield gets approval even before Phase-3 trials in India are completed. Can.

If Paul is to be believed, if the approval is approved in the UK, then even if the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has given emergency approval to SII, the priority groups will start vaccinating early next year.

What is the preparation of SII regarding Coveshield?

SII executive director Suresh Jadhav said in a virtual conference on Saturday that we have started making the vaccine. From January, we will start making 5-6 crore vaccines every month. By January, we will have 8-10 million doses of stock ready. We will start the supply after getting permission from the government. Dr. Jadhav claims that he will apply to the DCGI in January 2021 for approval based on the results of the ongoing trials in India.

Will there be any problem in logistics?

No. CoveyShield is easy to store, transport. The initial results of Phase-3 trials of two American vaccines and one British vaccine have been reported so far. Among these, Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccine will require a freezer, but the Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine does not need it. It can be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of 2 to 8 ° C for at least 6 months.

That is, there will be no major changes in the existing healthcare system to apply this vaccine. AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Sorriot said that the vaccine’s efficacy and safety will have a positive impact worldwide. The vaccine’s easy supply chain and no-profit commitment will make this vaccine available to the world as soon as possible.

Where are the trials going on other than India?

According to AstraZeneca, in addition to the UK, India and Brazil, trials are also underway in the US, Japan, Russia, South Africa, Kenya and Latin America. More than 60 thousand volunteers across the world have been included in these trials. The company is working on a capacity to produce 3 billion doses in 2021.

This will be given further momentum after regulatory approval. Sorriot said that AstraZeneca is working with more and more governments, multilateral organizations and collaborators to make the vaccine accessible to everyone during a pandemic.