New COVID vaccine results indicate 100% efficacy against severe disease

Using a conventional approach, a new COVID vaccine showed 100% efficacy against severe disease and hospitalizations, and it could be an effective booster after other COVID shots, the vaccine’s manufacturers announced on February 23.

The vaccine, manufactured by the pharmaceutical companies Sanofi and GSK, showed a 75% efficacy against mild-to-moderate disease and showed a 55% efficacy against any symptomatic COVID-19 disease in the VAT08 Phase 3 trial.

While the efficacy of the mRNA vaccines was lower than that observed in the original Biotech and Moderna vaccines, the companies noted it was still “in line with what can be expected in today’s environment dominated by variants of concern.”

Following vaccination with one of the other Covid vaccines, the global VAT02 booster trial confirmed that the vaccine can boost neutralizing antibodies 18- to 30-fold following vaccination with VAT02.

As a result of a two-dose primary series, followed by a booster dose, the company reported an increase in neutralizing antibodies of 84- to 153-fold.

More data from the company show the vaccine delivered high levels of robust levels of neutralizing antibodies, with GMTs reaching 3711 units when used as a two-dose primary series.

In comparison, two doses of an already approved mRNA vaccine displayed a GMT of 1653 measured in the same laboratory.
Younger and older adults alike demonstrated good safety profiles and tolerated the primary series and booster vaccinations well.

“The evolving epidemiology of COVID-19 demonstrates the need for a variety of vaccines,” Roger Connor, President of GSK Vaccines, said in a statement. “Our adjuvanted protein-based vaccine candidate uses a well-established approach that has been applied widely to prevent infection with other viruses including pandemic flu. We are confident that this vaccine can play an important role as we continue to address this pandemic and prepare for the post-pandemic period.”