China’s Sinovac coronavirus vaccine appears to be safe in its late-stage trial being conducted in Brazil. The Brazilian institute conducting the clinical trials has made the announcement. The Russian coronavirus vaccine, Sputnik V, which is in its Phase III trials currently will be sharing data of 10,000 volunteers around November.
Meanwhile, billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft founder Bill Gates has once again said India’s research and manufacturing capabilities will prove crucial for the global Covid-19 vaccine race.
Globally, 44 coronavirus vaccine candidates are in clinical trials, with another 154 in development, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
CHINA’S SINOVAC VACCINE TRIALS
A Brazilian institute that is conducting the clinical trials of China’s Sinovac Biotech’s coronavirus vaccine candidate has said the antidote has shown positive results in the late-stage trial. Sao Paulo’s Butantan Institute, one of Brazil’s leading biomedical research centers, which is carrying out the Phase III tests, said the two-dose vaccine, called CoronaVac, proved to be safe in a trial so far involving 9,000 volunteers.
The institute authorities have said there were no severe adverse reactions to the vaccine, with 20% of the volunteers reporting mild pain from the injection while 15% reported headaches after the first dose, dropping to 10% for the second. Less than 5% reported nausea or tiredness, and even less had muscle aches.
BILL GATES LAUDS INDIA’S EFFORTS
Bill Gates has said India’s research and manufacturing capacities will be critical to fighting the coronavirus pandemic, especially for making Covid-19 vaccines on a large scale. Bill Gates has said India is “very inspiring” as it has made huge strides in improving the health of its people in the last two decades.
Bill Gates, who addressed the Grand Challenges Annual Meeting 2020 along with PM Narendra Modi, said, “India’s research and manufacturing capacity are critical for fighting COVID-19. Thank you Narendra Modi for speaking at today’s Grand Challenges meeting.”
FIRST RESULTS OF RUSSIAN VACCINE
Preliminary results from the late-stage human trial of Russia’s prime coronavirus vaccine candidate, Sputnik V, could include data from 5,000-10,000 participants, Denis Logunov, a director at the Gamaleya Institute that developed the vaccine, said on Monday.
Russia’s plan to publish preliminary data about the Sputnik V jab as early as November is likely to make it one of the first vaccine developers to share any data from a final-stage trial, known as Phase III, but also puts it at odds with competitors.
The Sputnik V trial, involving 40,000 volunteers, has been underway in Moscow since the beginning of September.
NO VACCINE IN BRITAIN BEFORE SPRING
It is unlikely a coronavirus vaccine will be in widespread use in Britain before next spring, the government’s chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance said on Monday as speculation around the government’s roll-out plan increases.
There is no proven vaccine against the coronavirus, and the development of one is seen as key to containing an outbreak that has resurged across Britain and elsewhere in recent weeks. “(It’s) unlikely we’ll have a vaccine for any sort of widespread use in the community, before at least spring next year,” Vallance told lawmakers.
(With inputs from Reuters)