CORONAVIRUS VACCINE TRACKER

AstraZeneca likely to run additional global Covid-19 vaccine trial, CEO says

• AstraZeneca's new trial would be run instead of adding an arm to an ongoing US trial and would evaluate a lower dosage that performed better than a full amount in Astra’s studies
• The company’s acknowledgment that the lower level was given in error fuelled concerns

AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine safe, Indian trials progressing smoothly: SII

• The comments came after AstraZeneca and Oxford University acknowledged a manufacturing error that is raising questions about preliminary results of their experimental COVID-19 vaccine
• Meanwhile, PM Modi will on Saturday visit Serum Institute to review the vaccine production

AstraZeneca-Oxford Covid vaccine faces more questions after manufacturing error

• In a later statement, Oxford said a difference in manufacturing processes led to some participants being given a half dose instead of full one
• Oxford said that when it was apparent that a lower dose was used, it was discussed with regulators, and agreement was reached to push ahead with two regimens

AstraZeneca faces more vaccine questions after manufacturing error

AstraZeneca Plc and the University of Oxford face mounting questions about their Covid-19 vaccine trial results after acknowledging a manufacturing error

German Chancellor Angela Merkel says covid vaccine could arrive before Christmas

• She also urged Germans to remain patient with restrictions meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

When and how will covid-19 vaccines become available?

If regulators approve any of the vaccines in coming weeks, the companies have said distribution could begin almost immediately with governments around the world to decide who gets them and in what order. The following is an outline of the process

BioNTech, Fosun start Phase II trial of covid-19 vaccine in China

The vaccine, known as BNT162b2, will be tested on volunteers at the Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention to assess safety and immunogenicity, eyeing future approval in China

Chinese company seeks permission to launch covid vaccine for public use

• CNBG has yet to release any public data on the efficacy of its shots in Phase III trials, making it difficult to compare its vaccines to others

Limited shipment of Sputnik V vaccine in Dec, key deliveries by Jan 2021: Russia

Dmitriev was responding to an online question on negotiations with drugs regulators of countries including India, Brazil, Singapore, Philippines and Korea

Covid vaccine: PM asks CMs to prep cold storage facilities, set up task force

• Priority of Covid vaccination being decided in consultation with states, PM modi tells CMs during review meet
• He urged CMs to share their feedback in writing on COVID-19 strategy, says no one can impose any view and all have to work together

In constant touch with Serum CEO to track vaccine development: Uddhav tells Modi

• Maharashtra CM informed PM Modi that a task force has been set up to manage distribution and vaccination in the state
• Fearing a Covid surge, the state had on Monday announced fresh set of rules for passengers coming from four states with higher Covid caseload

Global covid-19 caseload tops 59 million

• The US, India and Brazil remain the top three countries in terms of the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases, followed by France and Russia

How Oxford University made the breakthrough in covid vaccine

Oxford vaccinologists were exhilarated on Monday when drugmaker AstraZeneca, with whom they developed the shot, announced that it could be around 90% effective, citing data from late-stage trials

AstraZeneca shot that works better in smaller doses raises questions

• A lower dose producing a better result has many scratching their heads
• The puzzling part about AstraZeneca’s results was that bigger doses were less efficacious

India first priority for AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine delivery: Serum Institute

• The Oxford vaccine can be transported easily at normal refrigerator temperatures -- unlike some of the other candidates, which require extremely cold storage
• The chief executive of the Serum Institute of India, Adar Poonawalla, said the manufacturer has already produced 40 million doses of the vaccine so far

WHO says $4.3 bn urgently needed for vaccine sharing scheme

WHO chief fears the underprivileged might not be able to access the coronavirus vaccines in an equitable manner

Limited use of Oxford vaccine should be available in India by Dec-end: Serum CEO

• The vaccine will have maximum retail price of ₹1,000 for private market, says Adar Poonawalla
• Serum CEO says the company is having discussions with Indian govt about purchase agreement for the vaccine

Astra-Oxford covid vaccine: Does it match with rivals? Here’s what we know

The report is significant because Astra and Oxford are taking a different approach from the one used by Pfizer and Moderna, and vaccine advocates say multiple shots will be needed to stop a contagion that’s killed almost 1.4 million people

UK on track for spring vaccine roll-out after Oxford results, researcher says

• The encouraging late-stage trial results were the third published among the seven vaccine candidates Britain has ordered
• Britain has secured 100 million doses of the AstraZeneca shot, 40 million of the Pfizer vaccine and 5 million of Moderna's candidate

Astra-Oxford covid vaccine: Doses could be in short supply

More will be on tap if AstraZeneca wins approval for a reduced dosing regime of a half shot followed by regular one, which was more effective than a full two-shot dosage in the results published Monday