Covaxin Effective Against Covid Variants Found In India & UK: Bharat Biotech

Vaccine maker Bharat Biotech on Sunday said Covaxin produces neutralizing titers (concentration) against all the key emerging variants of Covid-19, including B.1.617 and B.1.1.7, fist identified in India and the UK.

Covaxin

Vaccine maker Bharat Biotech on Sunday claimed that the indigenously produced Covid-19 vaccine 'Covaxin' has been found to be effective against coronavirus strains found in India and the UK. 

Citing a study published in the peer-reviewed medical journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, the Hyderabad based Indian biotechnology company said Covaxin produces neutralizing titers (concentration) against all the key emerging variants of Covid-19 that were tested, including B.1.617 and B.1.1.7, fist identified in India and the UK, respectively. 

News agency PTI reported that the study was conducted in collaboration with the National Institute of Virology and Indian Council of Medical Research. 

Bharat Biotech co-founder and Joint Managing Director Suchitra Ella in Twitter post said, "Covaxin gets international recognition yet again, by scientific research data published demonstrating protection against the new variants.Yet another feather in its cap."

While sharing the tweet, Ella  tagged Prime Minister's Office, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, among others. 

She shared a link to article published in CID - Oxford University Press regarding the COVAXIN neutralising emerging variants. As per the study, "no difference in neutralization between B.1.1.7 (first isolated in the U.K.) and vaccine strain (D614G) was observed. 

It further explained that a modest reduction in neutralization by a factor of 1.95 was observed against B.1.617 variant compared to vaccine variant (D614G). 

Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry has said that more than 1.84 crore vaccine doses are still available with states and Union Territories while nearly 51 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses are in the pipeline, which the states will receive in next three days.