Ocugen Inc. (NASDAQ: OCGN) and its Bharat Biotech have announced results of a study carried at Emory University showing that sera from participants that received the booster dose of their vaccine candidate, COVAXIN (BBV152), six months after receiving the first two doses neutralized then Delta and Omicron SARS-CoC-2 variants.
COVAXIN neutralizes variants of concern
COVAXIN has been shown to neutralize COVID-19 Variants of Concern Alpha, Beta, Delta, Zeta, and Kappa in previous tests. The study will be published on the medRXiv server in the coming days.
On a live viral neutralization assay, sera samples from people who were given a booster of COVAXIN were found to be efficient in neutralizing Delta and Omicron variants. The neutralizing activity of COVAXIN-boosted sera against the Omicron variant was equivalent to that of mRNA vaccine-boosted sera. More than 90% of people who were boosted with COVAXIN developed neutralizing antibodies. On Day Zero and Day 28, all participants were given a two-dose COVAXIN regimen.
Ceo and co-founder of Ocugen Dr. Shankar Musuniru, The global impact of Omicron, shows us that the fight against COVID-19 continues, and we’re encouraged that these data demonstrate the value of COVAXIN as a primary and booster vaccine. In addition, these results show how a broad-spectrum vaccine has the potential ability to address ever-shifting public health challenges such as new variants and mutations.”
COVAXIN can potentially reduce disease severity
Lead laboratory analysis and Assistant Professor, Emory Vaccine Center, Mehul Suthar, said, “As the dominant COVID-19 variant throughout the world, Omicron poses a serious public health concern. Data from this preliminary analysis show individuals receiving a booster dose of COVAXIN have a significant immune response to both the Omicron and Delta variants. These findings suggest that a booster dose has the potential to reduce disease severity and hospitalizations.”
Bharat Biotech Managing Director and Chairman Krioishna Ella said, “We are in a continuous state of innovation and product development for COVAXIN. The positive neutralization responses against the Omicron and Delta variants, validates our hypothesis of a multi epitope vaccine generating both humoral and cell mediated immune responses.”
