COVID-19 vaccine tracker: Pfizer says COVID-19 vaccine over 90% effective, Eli Lilly’s antibody drug therapy gets FDA nod for emergency use, Brazil suspends trial of Chinese coronavirus vaccine

• Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine is over 90% effective, data from phase III trials show.
  
• Eli Lilly receives approval from the US FDA for its COVID-19 antibody drug for use during emergency treatment.
  
• Brazilian health regulator has suspended clinical trials of China’s Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine, citing an "adverse incident" involving a volunteer recipient.
  

After registering over 48 million COVID-19 infections, the World Health Organisation is finally expecting a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of 2020 or early 2021.

It takes a decade or two to design, test, and launch an effective vaccine that can protect billions of people from diseases. However, COVID-19 has forced researchers to fast-track the vaccine making process.

Here’s a look at COVID-19 vaccine updates from around the world —

Pfizer’s COVID vaccine is 90% effective

The latest data from the US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and German biotech firm BioNTech late-stage vaccine trial shows that their COVID-19 vaccine is 90% more effective in preventing infection if a person has never come in contact with it before.

This means that those who get the vaccine will be protected within 28 days of the first dose — and there is only a two-dose schedule.

Eli Lilly gets USFDA nod for COVID antibody drug in emergency use

The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) on Monday has granted emergency approval to a synthetic antibody treatment against COVID-19 developed by Eli Lilly. The drug was shown to reduce the risk of hospitalization and emergency room visits.

The drug, Bamlanivimab, is the first major drug to be approved that was designed specifically against the coronavirus.

Brazil suspends trial of Chinese COVID vaccine

The Brazilian health regulator Anvisa on Monday suspended clinical trials of China’s Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine, citing an "adverse incident" involving a volunteer recipient.

Anvisa in a statement referred to the "incident" that occurred on October 29 and did not reveal any further information.

Argentina is looking to have access to COVID vaccine by December

Argentina is looking to have possession of a COVID vaccine by December. The government said it would first administer it to the most vulnerable section of the population in the country.

"We are making progress in signing the contractual agreements to make it so," the chief of the cabinet of ministers, Santiago Cafiero said on Saturday, confirming that the government wants "to have commercial agreements with countries, like Russia, or with laboratories, like Pfizer and AstraZeneca."

Bharat Biotech likely to launch Covaxin in February

According to a Reuters report, Bharat Biotech COVAXIN could be launched as early as February - months earlier than expected - as last-stage trials begin this month and studies have so far shown it is safe and effective. Bharat Biotech, which is developing COVAXIN with the government-run Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), had earlier hoped to launch it only in the second quarter of next year.

Astrazeneca is likely to begin COVID-19 vaccine trials in China

AstraZeneca plans to start early and mid-stage clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate in China this year, a senior executive told Reuters. The vaccine trials are in its final stage in the US, UK, and other countries. AstraZeneca is developing this along with the University of Oxford, and it hopes to find data of its effectiveness from the late-stage trials by the end of this year.

Adar Poonawalla says Oxford vaccine trial results likely next month

The chief executive officer of Serum Institute of India, Adar Poonawalla, said that a safe and effective vaccine against the novel coronavirus might be available in the country by January next year. The Pune-based firm, which is testing and manufacturing Oxford’s Covishield vaccine in India, said if trials succeed and approvals from regulatory bodies are in place, the vaccine will be ready in time.

Brazilian health regulator allows Johnson & Johnson to resume trials

In another development, the Brazilian health regulator Anvisa has approved the resumption of human clinical trials for Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine. The J&J vaccine is one of the four being tested in Brazil — which has the world’s third-worst outbreak behind the United States and India.

CanSino Biologics delivers Covid-19 vaccine to Mexico for a late-stage trial

Mexico has received the first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine from Chinese pharmaceutical company CanSino Biologics Inc. for a late stage-trial on between 10,000 and 15,000 volunteers.

Germany CureVac's vaccine triggers an immune response

On Monday, German vaccine maker CureVac said that interim results from early trials showed that its investigational Covid-19 vaccine candidate, CvnCoV, appeared safe and triggered immune response among volunteers.

"We are very encouraged by the interim Phase 1 data. It represents a critical milestone in our Covid-19 vaccine programme and strongly supports the advancement of our vaccine candidate," Franz-Werner Haas, Chief Executive Officer of CureVac, said in a statement.

Aspen Pharmacare, Johnson & Johnson announce a deal to make Covid-19 vaccine

South African pharmaceutical giant Aspen Pharmacare signed a pact with Johnson & Johnson to manufacture its Covid-19 vaccine if approved in South Africa and internationally.

In a statement, Aspen said that if ongoing trials bring international health authorities to endorse the J&J vaccine as effective and safe, it would be produced at Aspen's manufacturing facility in Port Elizabeth in South Africa's Eastern Cape province.

Moderna prepares for the global launch of COVID-19 vaccine

American biotechnology company Moderna announced that it was preparing for the global launch of its Covid-19 vaccine candidate.

"We are actively preparing for the launch of mRNA-1273 and we have signed a number of supply agreements with governments around the world," Xinhua news agency quoted Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel as saying in a statement on Thursday.

In addition to the Phase 3 study of the Covid-19 vaccine mRNA-1273, which is fully enrolled, Moderna now has four programs in Phase 2 studies, according to Bancel.

Israel begins human trials of COVID vaccine

Israel has begun human trials of a COVID-19 vaccine on November 1, authorities have said. Two volunteers have received the vaccine. Israel will first test the vaccine on 80 people, before extending it to 980 in the second phase, and then 25,000 in the final stage, slated for April or May.

"We can see the light at the end of the tunnel," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters at Sheba Medical Center near Tel Aviv.

Japan’s Shionogi is planning to conduct clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccine in December

Japan’s Shionogi is planning to conduct phase I clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate in December and phase II trials in January. Moreover, Shionogi S phase III trials are likely to be done overseas “due to the relative lack of COVID-19 cases in Japan”, reported Reuters.

Brazil says it might get a COVID-19 vaccine by June 2021

Brazil is expected to have a COVID-19 vaccine ready by June next year, according to the head of Brazil’s health regulator Anvisa, Antonio Barra Torres. According to Reuters, Anvisa is yet to decide on the minimum efficacy required to give vaccine approval. However, the agency has approved the vaccine with less than 50% effectiveness previously.

Brazil has played a significant role in conducting late-stage clinical trials of many global vaccine candidates including Oxford-AstraZeneca.

Oxford-AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine triggers an immune response in both young and old adults

Oxford-AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate has prompted an immune response in both young and old adults. According to AstraZeneca, the vaccine also produces ‘lower adverse responses among elderly,” reported Reuters.

“It is encouraging to see immunogenicity responses were similar between older and younger adults and that reactogenicity was lower in older adults, where the COVID-19 disease severity is higher,” an AstraZeneca spokesman said.

SEE ALSO: Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine is 90% effective in preventing coronavirus in those who haven’t been infected ever before, shows data from latest trials

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