China on Monday unveiled the world’s first health survey on a series of Omicron vaccine tests in Central Hunan Province. It will test vaccine safety and immune protection in humans and the study is expected to be completed in about three to four months.ZhangYuntao, senior scientist for the China National Biotec Group (CNBG) – a vaccine developer, who attended the launch – told the Global Times on Monday that clinical research, which plans to enroll more than 4,000 volunteers, is global. the largest clinical study of a vaccine against the Omicron variant.”In this study, a randomized, double-blind, controlled study design was used to assess the safety and immunity of a specific Omicron vaccine to volunteers 18 years and older who had received two or three doses of COVID-19 vaccine at different locations. “Zhang said.
The program for this clinical trial will need to be finalized after further discussions with specialists and drug authorities, and is expected to take about three to four months to complete, Zhang said.In April, Sinopharm received approval for clinical testing from the National Medical Products Administration and approval from the Hong Kong Pharmaceutical and Toxicity Board, respectively.
First dose of Omicron vaccine clinical trial
On May 1, the first dose of Omicron vaccine was given during a clinical trial in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province in East China. The volunteers were over 18 years old and had not been vaccinated against any COVID-19 vaccine.According to Zhang, a specific Omicron vaccine was tested for its safety in animals before being approved for clinical studies. The results showed that the vaccine had good depletion activity against various Omicron variants, and mitigation activity against Beta, Delta and prototype variants was also improved, indicating that the effect was positive.
Regarding the fact that the success of the research and development of a specific Omicron vaccine means that current COVID-19 vaccines are invalid, Zhang noted that the vaccine uses the same vaccine technology that has not been activated as before. First-generation vaccines are still effective. “In the recent outbreak in Hong Kong, we can also see that a vaccine that does not work has a significant effect on preventing the worst cases and deaths, especially those over the age of 60. Therefore, the first vaccine still works,” Zhang said.However, Zhang pointed out that the Omicron-specific vaccine was not designed for a fourth dose.”The vaccine course of the now-defunct COVID-19 vaccine is two full-dose vaccines and a booster. After receiving data from clinical studies, the best vaccination program will be evaluated,” Zhang said.
As Omicron gradually became the dominant species and the number of infected people increased, many people began to say that Omicron “does not kill people” and some even compared it to “the great flu.”Zhang stressed that Omicron is not a “major flu”, which has caused local outbreaks in Shanghai, Beijing, Jilin and other parts of China due to its rapid spread, high infection rate and robust tactics.Omicron is three or four times more contagious than the Delta type, each with an Omicron BA.2 capable of infecting 12 other people.
Therefore, in view of the Omicron variant, the effectiveness of previous COVID-19 vaccines and antibody therapies developed in different technological lines has decreased to varying degrees. To avoid and effectively control the epidemic, it is very important to set certain goals.”According to the clinical scale, Omicron-specific vaccines are the same as those of the first generation of ineffective vaccines. But after the first generation of vaccines were widely used, Sinopharm conducted clinical studies on people with diabetes, high blood pressure. The opposition should be gradually reduced in the future, “added Zhang.
Yang Huichuan, a senior scientist at CNBG, said during a press conference that the company was building six manufacturing factories and three laboratories with a level III protection. If the Omicron candidate vaccine succeeds in the end, CNBG will offer more production facilities in its production.
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