French prescribed drugs large Sanofi and Britain’s GSK reported on Monday “robust immune responses” in early tests of their Covid-19 vaccine, raising hopes it could join the fight against the pandemic.
The companies said the results of the Phase 2 study will enable them to move to a late-stage trial in the coming weeks — a reversal of fortune after their research was dealt a setback late last year.
The experimental vaccine “achieved strong rates of neutralizing antibody responses, in line with those measured in people who have recovered from COVID-19, in all adult age groups in a Phase 2 study with 722 volunteers,” it mentioned in a press release.
“A worldwide pivotal Phase 3 research is predicted to start out in the approaching weeks.”
An earlier study in late 2020 showed the vaccine provided a low immune response in older adults. The companies said the vaccine would not be ready until the end of 2021.
The initial failure was a setback that dented French pride as France is the only permanent member of the UN Security Council not to have its own vaccine after successes for Britain, China, Russia and the United States.
“Our Phase 2 data confirm the potential of this vaccine to play a role in addressing this ongoing global public health crisis,” mentioned Thomas Triomphe, govt vp and world head of Sanofi Pasteur.
“As we all know a number of vaccines might be wanted, particularly as variants proceed to emerge and the necessity for efficient and booster vaccines, which will be saved at regular temperatures, will increase,” he said.
The firms are combining a Sanofi-developed antigen, which stimulates the production of germ-killing antibodies, with GSK’s adjuvant technology, a substance that bolsters the immune response triggered by a vaccine.
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