COVID-19 Vaccine Update – China’s Sinovac Comes under Scrutiny

Sinovac

This week, clinical trials of China’s Sinovac vaccine delivered particularly disappointing results.

In Brazil, late-stage clinical trial results showed that Sinovac had an efficacy rate of 50.4%. Sinovac had announced previously announced an efficacy rate of 78%.

The sizeable difference between the two sets of results has raised questions over China’s data.

While the efficacy rate sits just above the WHO’s 50.0% threshold, there will likely be the need for a more detailed review for the vaccine to be accepted.

A large number of countries are reliant upon the Sinovac vaccine, having failed to make timely orders of the more effective vaccines available at present.

Brazil, is among countries that have placed orders with Sinovac.

With a larger percentage of healthcare workers in the U.S refusing to take the Pfizer Inc. vaccine, governments may face a harder task convincing its populations to take the Sinovac vaccine.

Such differences in results could raise concerns over vaccine safety, in particular.

The Latest COVID-19 Numbers

At the time of writing, there were a total of 92,767,845 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1,986,696 related deaths.

By geography, the U.S had reported 23,616,345 cases, with India reporting 10,512,831 cases.

Brazil reported the 3^rd highest, with 8,257,459 cases, followed by Russia (3,471,053) and the UK (3,211,576).

France (2,830,442), Italy (2,319,036), Spain (2,176,089), and Germany (1,980,861) reported a combined 9,306,428 cases.

Looking Ahead

As a result of Brazil’s clinical trial results, we can expect Pfizer Inc., Moderna Inc., and AstraZeneca to come under pressure to deliver more doses worldwide.

On Wednesday, Johnson & Johnson provided some positive news to ease the strain, however.

As clinical trials continue, the firm’s chief scientist provided a positive view of the single dose vaccine.

The company’s chief science officer also announced that the single shot vaccine remains on target for rollout in the 1^st quarter. Clinical trial data is due out later this month or in early February.

Johnson & Johnson has set a goal of 1 billion doses of the vaccine to be manufactured this year. There were reports, however, that Johnson & Johnson has experience manufacturing delays that would impact the 2021 target.

With China’s numbers now in question, Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine may also begin to draw greater interest.