As part of its extensive coverage on the coronavirus vaccine development progress, GCC Business News is providing regular updates which are derived from the most credible sources and not speculations within the media world. These updates will help you stay on course with the latest revelations on the matter.
Russia’s COVID-19 Vaccine Sputnik V increases coronavirus immunity after 1st dose
According to Alexander Gintsburg, head of Moscow’s state-run Gamalaya research institute which developed the country’s registered COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V, the highly effective cure has generated increased immunity against SARS CoV2 (novel coronavirus) after the first dose itself.
Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine starts phase 3 trials in India
Indian trials for COVID-19 vaccine candidate co-developed by Oxford University and British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca began its first phase in Mumbai.
The Mumbai phase which is expected to have 200 volunteers began with the vaccine being administered to three men aged between 25-45 at King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital. Another set of volunteers are expected to engage in the trial being conducted at Nair Hospital in Mumbai later.
Both hospitals will carry put trials on 100 each volunteer in Mumbai leg. Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine which will be sold in India under the name of ‘Covishield’ is expected to be administered to 1600 volunteers under current circumstances.
Indian government launches integrated vaccine tracker web portal
Indian Union Minister for Health, Harsh Vardhan unveiled the country’s web portal that will provide all-important national and international information on COVID-19, vaccine development and ongoing clinical trials among other related information.
The web portal will contain all systematic data on clinical signs and symptoms, management protocols, laboratory investigations, the clinical course of COVID-19, disease spectrum and outcomes of patients.
Moderna Phase 3 trials ongoing with more than 27,000 volunteers
US-based biotechnology company Moderna has enrolled 27,232 volunteers for its Phase 3 study of the mRNA based COVID-19 vaccine candidate. The firm has updated that almost half of the given number of volunteers have already received the vaccine dose twice (prescribed volume) within a 30-day window.
According to the statements from the pharma company, close to 31 percent of the enrolled volunteers are from diverse backgrounds.
China has already vaccinated 100,000 people
Following Russia’s early registration and subsequent administration to the general public, China has reportedly vaccinated 100,000 people even without concluding the Phase 3 trials on its COVID-19 vaccine candidates.
Chinese citizens have reportedly received one of two vaccines developed by Sinopharm while another vaccine CoronaVac, developed by the private drugmaker Sinovac Biotech has also received the necessary authorization.
Johnson & Johnson begins Phase 3 trials of its COVID-19 vaccine
American multinational corporation Johnson & Johnson began Phase 3 trials for its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine involving up to 60,000 adult participants at almost 215 sites in the US and internationally.
Previous update on Major Developments – 12 August 2020
Russia launched its COVID-19 vaccine for general use
Russian President Vladimir V. Putin announced on August 11 that a Russian health care regulator had approved the COVID-19 vaccine, now called Sputnik V named without proper Phase 3 testing.
The Gamaleya Research Institute, part of Russia’s Ministry of Health, had launched a Phase 1 trial in June of a vaccine they call Gam-Covid-Vac Lyo which is a combination of two adenoviruses, Ad5 and Ad26, both engineered with a coronavirus gene. In July, the chair of the upper house of Russia’s Parliament announced the country might start vaccine production by the end of the year.
Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko provided an update on August 12 that mass production of Sputnik V has begun and the first batch will be available within 14 days.
Chinese vaccine maker CanSino Biologics announces Phase 3 trials
CanSino Biologics which has developed a vaccine based on an adenovirus called Ad5, in partnership with the Institute of Biology at the country’s Academy of Military Medical Sciences was administered to individuals at the Chinese military as the Phase 1 results in May and Phase 2 trial results in July provided promising results.
The Chinese vaccine maker has revealed its preparations to conduct its Phase 3 trials in Saudi Arabia while it negotiates with other countries for more trials.
Indian pharma firm Zydus Cadila completes Phase 1.
Zydus Cadila’s DNA-based vaccine was approved to start human trials on July 3rd which made them the second company in the country to enter the COVID-19 vaccine race after Bharat Biotech.
The firm entered Phase 2 of its vaccine trials on august 6th after a successful Phase 1 trial.
The US-based Novavax declared promising results from preliminary studies
Novavax launched trials for a COVID-19 vaccine in May as the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations invested $384 million in the vaccine. The firm also received $1.6 billion to support the vaccine’s clinical trials and manufacturing from the U.S. government in July.
As per its agreement with the American government, Novavax is expected to deliver 100 million doses for use in the United States by the first quarter of 2021 if its vaccine is cleared for use by the FDA.
Novavax which expects to begin its Phase 3 trials in October, announced promising results from two preliminary studies in monkeys and humans on Aug. 4
Previous update on Major Developments – 28 July 2020
Moderna – National Institutes of Health (NIH) Vaccine moves to Phase 3
Moderna’s messenger RNA (mRNA) based vaccine went on to the first COVID-19 vaccine human trials in March as part of a National Institutes of Health partnership. After initial promising results, Moderna and N.I.H. researchers carried out a Phase 2 study and are launching a Phase 3 trial today.
The final trial is expected to enroll over 30,000 healthy people at about 89 sites around the United States. The US government has bankrolled Moderna’s efforts with nearly $1 billion in support.
BioNTech – Pfizer – Fosun Pharma vaccine moved to Phase 2/3 Trails
The mRNA based vaccine developed in collaboration with German company BioNTech, New York-based Pfizer and Chinese drug maker Fosun Pharma posted promising results fo their initial trials.
Volunteers who were administered with the vaccine produced antibodies and T cells (immune cells) against coronavirus. mild side-effects such as sleep disturbances and sore arms were observed.
The group announced the launch of Phase 2/3 trials on 27 July 2020 with 30,000 volunteers in the United States and other countries including Argentina, Brazil, and Germany.
The vaccine developers also received a $1.9 billion contract from the US government for 100 million doses to be delivered by December subject to regulatory clearances with an option to 500 million more doses later.
Arcturus Therapeutics – Duke-NUS Medical School vaccine enters Phase 1/2 trails
mRNA vaccine based vaccine developed by California-based company Arcturus Therapeutics and Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore led to led to strong immune responses in animal experiments with its “self-replicating” design of the molecules in the vaccine.
Singapore approved their application for a Phase 1/2 trial in humans on July 21.
