Covaxin to be tested on 375 people in Phase I; Moderna delays final phase trials
China’s Sinovac Biotech has become the latest company to start Phase III trials of its coronavirus vaccine candidate in Brazil following a fast-track approval by regulators last week.
So far, the vaccine candidates being developed by AstraZeneca-University of Oxford and China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) are the only other jabs in late-stage trials. Moderna also plans to start its late-stage trial this month.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are 19 vaccine candidates currently in the clinical evaluation as of July 6. India’s own vaccine development efforts has gained pace, with Bharat Biotech planning to complete enrollment of Phase I trial participants by July 13 for its candidate Covaxin.
However, amid the race for a Covid-19 vaccine, top US infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci has cautioned that a shot to protect against the infection won’t work like the measles vaccine, which lasts throughout a person’s lifetime.
“You can assume that we’ll get protection at least to take us through this cycle. We may need a boost to continue the protection, but right now we don’t know how long it lasts,” Bloomberg quoted Fauci as saying.
Indian express
