As the Coronavirus infection is continuously increasing, simultaneously there is a race which is going on for making Coronavirus vaccine among various countries. Many pharmaceutical brands of different countries are coming forward claiming that they had finally prepared the vaccine for COVID-19. But still, we do not have any confirmed vaccine for the infection as the three phases of trials are yet to be qualified by all the vaccines. And only if these trials are found successful, only then we have a reason to celebrate. Countries including India, Britain, America, China and Russia are seeing success in this.
AstraZeneca leading in Covid-19 vaccine
Currently, the vaccine which is prepared by Oxford University of Britain is taking a lead in this race. On Monday, the vaccine was reported to be successful in the first and second stage human trials. The next phase is now preparing for a large-scale human trial, which will be conducted not only in Britain, but also in Brazil, the United States and then India.
After the trial of the corona vaccine of Oxford University, the preparation for its production had also started. Indian company Serum Institute of India, one of the world’s leading vaccine manufacturers, already started preparations for this vaccine. According to the company’s CEO Adar Poonawala, the company will apply to Drug Controller General of India for trials of this vaccine in India as well.
As per the speculations, Oxford University vaccine is expected to arrive in India by November. This week the results of the vaccine trial have been published in the medical journal Lancet Medical Journal. It states that the vaccine responded well during the trial and does not indicate any serious side effects. The vaccine is producing antibodies and T cells, which is effective in fighting the corona.
Serum Institute of India also stated that it may take up to two years to vaccinate all people in India. According to CEO Adar Poonawala, the company in India is confident of a third phase trial in August. He said, “We expect it to take two to two and a half months to complete and it will be completed by November. Half of the stock of Covishield manufactured at Serum Institute will be for India.
Moderna’s corona vaccine to enter final stages of trials
American pharmaceutical firm Moderna’s mRNA-1273 vaccine prototype, also holds its place in one of the leading candidates who are preparing the corona vaccine around the world, will enter the Phase-III of human clinical trials. It is currently in large-scale Phase-II trials, which evaluate immunogenicity, dose levels (efficacy based on biomarkers), and adverse effects of the candidate vaccine, typically in hundreds of people.
Until now the two phases of the human trials are successfully conducted, Moderna Inc’s COVID-19 vaccine had reported safe immune responses in all those 45 healthy volunteers who were tested with vaccine. According to the scientists of this firm, in the third phase this vaccine would be further tried on 30,000 volunteers, and this phase is not only the biggest but also the most critical phase of human clinical trials for the vaccine.
According to the researchers, the mRNA-1237 vaccine dosage has been prepared using the genetic coding of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus itself. Moderna’s corona vaccine will not function by destroying the virus directly but it will boost the body’s immune system to the point that the virus contamination can be effectively prevented.
Also read: Covaxin: The indigenous Coronavirus vaccine of India; approved for the human trial
The firm’s researchers have claimed that the mRNA-1237 vaccine is even capable of developing antibodies more powerful than those found in patients who have recovered from COVID-19. A medium dosage of the medicine has shown good results, said Moderna’s virologists. This prototype was developed at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute.
Covaxin, Bharat Biotech begins human trials
Covaxin is the Indian corona vaccine in process, Bharat Biotech, along with ICMR and National Institute on Virology (NIV) is working on this vaccine. And the first phase of human trial for this COVID-19 vaccine started only recently.