Covaxin has been found to be effective against the B.1.617 and B.1.1.7 variants of COVID-19 which were first identified in India and the UK.
Bharat Biotech, the manufacturer of Covaxin, informed on Sunday that their vaccine has produced neutralising titres (concentration) against all key emerging variants.
The Hyderabad-based company conducted a study in collaboration with National Institute of Virology – India Council of Medical Research. It found a modest reduction in neutralisation by a factor of 1.95 was observed against the B.1.617 variant compared to the vaccine variant (D614G). Despite this reduction, though, neutralizing titre levels with B.1.617 remained above levels expected to be protective.
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“No difference in neutralization between B.1.1.7 (first found in the UK) and vaccine strain (D614G) was observed,” Bharat Biotech added.
Covaxin and Covishield are being used in India’s vaccination process which started in mid-January, with Russian vaccine Sputnik V being the latest entrant.
