Last week, Pfizer-BioNTech announced its’ late-stage trial data on the efficacy of its’ Covid-19 vaccine. Shortly thereafter Moderna declared that its vaccine showed promising results. Both clinical trials are still underway, yet the data at this stage suggests that both would be effective in protecting individuals against developing the Covid-19 disease.
On Monday, November 23rd, the British Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca declared that interim data shows that their vaccine exhibits an efficacy of 70% in protecting against the coronavirus SARS-Cov2. Specifically, AZD1222, the experimental vaccine, met its’ primary endpoint for efficacy. Out of two dosing regimens, one showed a higher (90%) efficacy than the other (62%). In the vaccine group, there were no severe cases or adverse events noted. In fact, the dose that worked at higher efficacy involved only half the dose for the first administration, followed by a full dose booster after one month. This in fact will use less vaccine than originally planned, making more available to people en masse.
The vaccine was invented by a team from the University of Oxford and its spin-off company Vaccitec. These interim results were from UK and Brazil, although the study is being conducted at centers around the world. The vaccine can be stored under normal refrigeration for six months. Storage conditions of vaccines vary, with the Pfizer vaccine requiring very low temperatures (-70 degrees C) and the Moderna vaccine capable of remaining stable under normal refrigeration for a month.
Both Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines used an approach of introducing genetic material, known as mRNA into the body. This genetic material can code for the coronavirus’ spike protein, that would then be recognized by the body’s immune system and help it to correctly recognize and fight against the actual coronavirus. The technology used by the Oxford vaccine differs, in that it uses an inactivated chimpanzee cold virus to evoke the immune defense of the body. Other vaccines awaited in the pipeline include those from Novovax, Sanofi/GSK and Janssen Pharmaceuticals among many others.
Bibliography
Davis, Nicola, and Jessica Elgot. “Moderna Vaccine Trial's Results Bode Well for Oxford/AstraZeneca Jab.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 16 Nov. 2020, www.theguardian.com/society/2020/nov/16/moderna-vaccines-effectiveness-bodes-well-for-oxfordastrazeneca-jab.
Johnson, Parker. “Pfizer Moves One Step Closer to a Successful Covid-19 Vaccine.” The Healthy News, The Healthy News, 13 Nov. 2020, www.thehealthynews.org/good-news-blog/ctq18twantw5vnd0ahi2l09r1r72dc.
Kemp, Adrian. “AZD1222 Vaccine Met Primary Efficacy Endpoint in Preventing COVID-19.” AstraZeneca, 23 Nov. 2020, www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2020/azd1222hlr.html.
Thomas, Katie, et al. “Pfizer Stuns Experts With Early Data That Vaccine Is More Than 90% Effective.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 9 Nov. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/11/09/health/covid-vaccine-pfizer.html.
