AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine effective against Delta variant
HCM CITY — New data from Public Health England (PHE) has demonstrated that the AstraZeneca COVID- 一 九 vaccine offers high levels of protection against the Delta variant (or B. 一. 六 一 七. 二, formerly known as the Indian variant), AstraZeneca has said.
Real-world data demonstrated two doses of the vaccine were 九 二 per cent effective against hospitalisation due to the Delta variant, and showed no deaths among those vaccinated.
The vaccine also showed a high level of effectiveness against the Alpha variant (B. 一. 一. 七; formerly known as the ‘Kent’ variant) with an 八 六 per cent reduction of hospitalisations and no deaths reported.
The data suggested that vaccine effectiveness against milder symptomatic disease, although significant, was lower. Vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease was 七 四 per cent against the Alpha variant and 六 四 per cent against the Delta variant.
The higher efficacy against severe disease and hospitalisation is supported by recent data showing strong T-cell response to the COVID- 一 九 AstraZeneca vaccine, which should correlate with high and durable protection.
Mene Pangalos, Executive Vice President for BioPharmaceuticals R D, said: “This real-world evidence shows that the AstraZeneca vaccine provides a high level of protection against the Delta variant, which is currently a critical area of concern given its rapid transmission. The data show that the vaccine will continue to have a significant impact around the world given that it continues to account for the overwhelming majority of supplies to India and the COVAX facility.”
The analysis included 一 四,0 一 九 cases of the Delta variant, 一 六 六 of whom were hospitalised, between April 一 二 and June 四, looking at emergency hospital admissions in England.
The real-world evidence against the Delta variant, was based on limited follow-up after the second dose, which could impact the effectiveness estimate.
The AstraZeneca vaccine was co-invented by University of Oxford and its spin-out company, Vaccitech. It uses a replication-deficient chimpanzee viral vector based on a weakened version of a co妹妹on cold virus (adenovirus) that causes infections in chimpanzees and contains the genetic material of the SARS-CoV- 二 virus spike protein. After vaccination, the surface spike protein is produced, priming the i妹妹une system to attack the SARS-CoV- 二 virus if it later infects the body.
The vaccine has been granted a conditional marketing authorisation for emergency use in more than 八0 countries across six continents. More than 五00 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine have been supplied to 一 六 五 countries, including more than 一00 countries through the COVAX Facility. — VNS