Covaxin can generate antibodies that can persist for 6 to 12 months, Bharat Biotech said. (Archive)
Hyderabad:
Covaxin, a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech, showed long-term memory responses of antibodies and T (immune) cells three months after injection in phase 1 volunteers and tolerable safety results in phase 2 study said the company: suggesting that the antibodies may persist for six to 12 months.
In phase 2, it also showed enhanced humoral and cell-mediated immune responses and the results were found in the clinical trial of safety and immunogenicity of the candidate vaccine.
Memory T cells are antigen-specific T cells that remain long after an infection has cleared.
Covaxin, which is being developed in collaboration with the Indian Council for Medical Research and the National Institute of Virology, is now in phase 3 trials.
In a phase 2, double-blind, randomized, multicenter clinical trial, a total of 380 healthy children and adults were randomized and given two vaccine formulations in as many doses (four weeks apart).
In a follow-up phase 1 trial, Covaxin (BBV152) produced high levels of neutralizing antibodies that remained elevated in all participants three months (on day 104) after the second vaccination.
Based on these results, we hypothesized that BBV152 can generate antibodies that can persist for 6-12 months, Bharat Biotech said in a research article on Covaxin.
Results from the phase 2 study show that both humoral and cell-mediated responses were observed. No differences in neutralizing antibodies were observed between sexes and between age groups.
Covaxin was well tolerated in both dose groups with no serious adverse events, according to the research article.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
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