Hyderabad, May 16 :Indigenous covid-19 vaccine Covaxin developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech (BB) produced neutralizing titres against all key emerging variants tested including B.1.617 and B.1.1.7 , first identified in India and the UK, respectively.
According to Clinical Infectious Diseases, a peer-reviewed medical journal published by Oxford University Press, Covaxin retains neutralizing activity against emerging variants.
A modest reduction in neutralization by a factor of 1.95 was observed against the B.1.617 variant compared to the vaccine variant (D614G), the journal said.
Despite this reduction, neutralizing titre levels with B.1.617 remain above levels expected to be protective and No difference in neutralization between B.1.17 (first isolated in the UK) and vaccine strain )D614G) was observed, the journal added.
This study was conducted in collaboration with the National Institute of Virology – Indian Council of Medical Research, India.
On micro boggling platform Twitter on Sunday, Bharat Biotech Joint Managing Director Suchitra Ella said Covaxin gets international recognition yet again; by scientific research date published demonstrating protection against the new variants. Yet another feather in its cap, she tweeted.
Bharat Biotech in earlier Tweeted that it has been directly supplied to 18 states since May 1. Unflinching in our efforts, we will continue the steady supply of our Vaccine.
The states include Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Delhi, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, UP and West Bengal.(UNI)