A new two-dose vaccine developed by French and British manufacturers is 100% effective against serious illnesses and hospitalizations from Covid-19, the two companies confirmed Wednesday – French drugmaker Sanofi and its British partner GlaxoSmithKline have lagged behind in the race. A vaccine, but new data suggests that a new vaccine could play a vital role in the long-running battle against Covid-19.
In addition to being highly effective in keeping people out of the hospital, the vaccine offered 75% protection against moderate to severe disease, according to the manufacturers’ Phase III clinical trial — and was also shown to be 58% effective against symptomatic disease.
A second study, conducted by Sanofi and GSK, found that the injection, when used as a booster dose, increased antibody levels between 18 and 30 times in people who had already been vaccinated. The data will now be submitted to regulators in the hope of gaining approval. The two pilot studies are expected to be published “later this year”.
The vaccine is based on a traditional protein-based approach to training the body’s immune system, compared to the newer mRNA technology used in Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna syringes — both of which have already been introduced globally.
It is similar in technology to one of Sanofi’s seasonal influenza vaccines and is combined with a GSK adjuvant, a substance that increases the effectiveness of the injection. It is also easier to store and transport than some competing vaccines.
“We are confident that this vaccine can play an important role as we continue to address this pandemic and prepare for the post-pandemic period,” said Roger Connor, president of GSK Vaccines.
Vaccine efficacy of 100% against critical diseases occurs at a time when many variants are circulating, indicating that injection efficacy is maintained against the micron, delta variant and other strains. “No other global Phase III efficacy study has been conducted during this period with several variables of concern, including micron, and these efficacy data are comparable to recent clinical data from licensed vaccines,” said Thomas Triumph, Executive Vice President of Sanofi Vaccines.
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