Pfizer, Moderna, Sputnik or Oxford? Know Which COVID Vaccine Is India's Best Bet

While Pfizer became the first company to release successful data from a large-scale trial -- over 90 per cent efficacy -- India's best bets are still the homegrown Covaxin by Bharat Biotech and the home-tested AstraZeneca-Oxford University vaccine. These two vaccine candidates are at equally advanced stages of Phase 3 trials.

Reuters

Oxford and Covaxin

Unlike Pfizer, these two vaccine candidates are undergoing trials in India and will be available for the masses in the country as soon as tests are successfully completed, officials told The Economic Times. A government official told the daily that India will focus on these two vaccines as they are being tested on the Indian population and hence has a major advantage over other potential candidates.

Oxford COVID-19 Vaccine

Meanwhile, COVAXIN is being developed along with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Preliminary results from the trials have shown that the vaccine is safe and effective. Bharat Biotech has announced the commencement of Phase III trials of COVAXIN. The Phase III trials will involve 26,000 volunteers across India and will be conducted in partnership with ICMR. It is the largest clinical trial conducted for a COVID-19 vaccine in India. This is India¡¯s first phase III efficacy study for a COVID-19 vaccine.

Image For Representation

Pfizer and Moderna

On the other hand, Pfizer and Moderna have released the results of clinical trials of their respective experimental coronavirus vaccines. Both vaccine candidates have reportedly shown an efficacy rate of over 90 per cent. However, both the vaccines are currently unaffordable for India, medical expert Gagandeep Kang said.

Earlier last week, Pfizer announced that its experimental vaccine has more than 90 per cent efficacy. Most of the initial doses have been reserved for US markets. Moreover, the distribution and storage of the vaccine could pose some logistical challenges as it requires to be stored in -70 degree Celsius.

Reuters

Such challenges would not only disrupt distribution plans in countries like India but also in developed nations such as the US. Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said the cold chain is going to be one of the most challenging aspects of this vaccination. "This will be a challenge in all settings because hospitals even in big cities do not have storage facilities for a vaccine at that ultra-low temperature," said the scholar.

Sputnik V

At the same time, the first batch of the Russian Sputnik-V coronavirus vaccine is set to arrive at the Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Medical College in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Clinical trials for this Covid-19 vaccine candidate will be held as per the agreement between Dr Reddy's and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF). As part of the partnership, RDIF shall supply 100 million doses of the vaccine to Dr Reddy's upon regulatory approval in India.

Reuters

Several coronavirus vaccine candidates are being developed around the world but AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine is touted to the leading contender. The results of the trials are likely to be released before the year ends. This is a two-dose vaccine. Approval by regulators would be based on the efficacy and safety data from the trials. Along with Oxford's vaccine, COVAXIN and Sputnik V are among the best bets for India.