India’s Covaxin can neutralize UK variant of COVID-19, finds new study

Indian scientists have found that Covaxin can effectively neutralizes UK variants of COVID-19 and reduce possibility of mutant virus escape.

By: Jahnavi Sarma | | Published: January 27, 2021 4:23 pm

However, though Covaxin is being administered to people in India during the ongoing vaccination programme, the phase 3 trials are still underway.

After the emergence of the mutated strain of COVID-19 in the UK, people around the world worried that the current vaccines will not offer protection against it. So, it comes as a relief for many to know that Covaxin, the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech, effectively neutralize UK variant of SARS-CoV-2 reducing the possibility of mutant virus escape. According to the research paper carried by bioRxiv, the preprint server for Biology, the study has dispelled the uncertainty of possible neutralization escape. Also Read - New highly contagious COVID-19 variant spreading rapidly across New York

Researchers from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the National Institute of Virology, Pune, and Bharat Biotech came together to perform the plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT50) for which they used sera collected from the 26 recipients of BBV152/Covaxin against hCoV-19/India/20203522 (UK-variant) and hCoV27 19/India/2020Q111 (heterologous strain). This paper is yet to be certified by peer review. Also Read - Indian company develops triple-combination pills for migraine, gets FDA approval

Fears about challenges to vaccine dispelled

According to researchers, a comparable neutralization activity of sera of the vaccinated individuals was seen against the UK-variant and the heterologous strain with similar efficiency, dispel the uncertainty of possible neutralization escape. It noted the rapid surge in SARS-CoV-2 cases due to the spread of the UK variant raised concerns in several countries. Many of these countries had direct flights to and from UK and the variant was associated with high transmissibility. At the same time, identification of the other emerging variants from South Africa also initiated a global discussion on the challenges that these new variants could pose to the current vaccine candidates. Also Read - COVID-19 cases rising in schools across India, over 220 students test positive in 24 hrs

The 17 mutations of the UK variant

The genome of the UK-variant of COVID-19 has 17 mutations. Eight of these mutations were present in the spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) mediating the attachment of the virus to the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor on the surface of human cells. Hence, it was believed that most of the vaccines being developed, being either recombinant or specifically targeting the single epitope of original D614G ancestral spike sequence, might not be able to generate an effective immune response against the new variants. But researchers were able to successfully isolate and characterize the hCoV-19/India/20203522 SARS-CoV-2 (VOC) 202012/01 from UK returnees in India with all signature mutations of the UK-variant.

Covaxin clinical trials

Earlier, The Lancet Infectious Disease published the results of the phase-1 clinical trials of Covaxin. These trials showed that this vaccine produces tolerable safety outcomes and enhanced immune responses. Bharat Biotech also said this is the first clinical trial publication on a COVID-19 vaccine from India. However, though Covaxin is being administered to people in India during the ongoing vaccination programme, the phase 3 trials are still underway. The vaccine maker had earlier announced that 13,000 volunteers have been successfully administered the second dose of Covaxin in the phase-3 trials, which began in mid-November.

(With inputs from IANS)

Published : January 27, 2021 4:23 pm

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