Moderna vaccine results soon
Moderna expects to have an announcement on the efficacy of its COVID-19 vaccine after it finishes accumulating data for a first analysis of the vaccine, the company said in a statement on Wednesday.
Moderna is conducting a clinical trial of about 30,000 participants, with half of the participants receiving the vaccine and the other half receiving a placebo, which is a shot of saline that does not seem to have any effect, reported CNN.
In order for the vaccine to be considered for authorisation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), at least 53 study participants needed to become ill with COVID-19.
The trial hit the 53-mark Wednesday, but Moderna doesn’t know if the participants who became ill received the vaccine or the placebo. If a statistically significant number of participants received the placebo, that would mean that the vaccine is effective against the virus.
Brazil resumes China vaccine trials
Brazil’s health regulator Anvisa on Wednesday (local time) announced the resumption of clinical trials of China’s Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine.
Quoting the latest official statement issued by Anvisa, Anadolu agency said, “After evaluating the new data presented by the sponsor... Anvisa understands that it has sufficient reasons to allow the resumption of vaccination.” “It is important to clarify that a suspension does not necessarily mean that the product under investigation is not of quality, safety or efficacy...The suspension and resumption of clinical studies are common events in clinical research and all studies aimed at registering medicines that are authorized in the country are previously evaluated by ANVISA in order to preserve safety for the study volunteers,” the statement further read.
