The US National Institutes of Health have questioned the validity of data from AstraZeneca’s US Phase III trial of its Covid-19 vaccine. The health agency said the trial’s Data and Safety Monitoring Board had contacted several US authorities as well as AstraZeneca to express concerns that “outdated” trial information may have been included in the results. The trial’s recent data readout showed 79% efficacy in preventing symptomatic Covid-19 and 100% efficacy in preventing severe disease and hospitalisation. The interim safety and efficacy trial enrolled 32,449 participants with 141 symptomatic Covid-19 cases. Vaccine effectiveness was also found to be consistent across ethnicity and age, with 80% efficacy in participants aged 65 years and older. The trial also found no link between the vaccine and blood clotting events.
Moderna has entered into a new supply agreement with the Philippines for additional seven million doses of its Covid-19 Vaccine Moderna. This brings the total confirmed order to 20 million doses for the country, with the additional doses agreement being sought through a partnership with the private sector. The delivery of the initial 13 million doses is expected to commence in mid-2021.
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The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and Virchow Biotech have announced a partnership to manufacture up to 200 million doses of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine in India. The technology transfer is scheduled to be completed in the second quarter of 2021, followed by full-scale commercial production of the vaccine. Virchow will also supply Sputnik V to international partners of RDIF.
