Vaccine major Bharat Biotech has said that a booster dose of Covaxin has neutralised the Omicron and Delta variants.

Citing a commissioned study conducted at Emory University, it said, “More than 90 per cent of all individuals boosted with Covaxin showed neutralising antibodies. All participants received an initial two-dose schedule of Covaxin on Day 0 and Day 28.”

“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 hospitalisations,” said Mehul Suthar, Assistant Professor at Emory Vaccine Center, who led the laboratory analysis.

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“We are in a continuous state of innovation and product development for Covaxin. The positive neutralisation responses against the Omicron and Delta variants validates our hypothesis of a multi-epitope vaccine generating both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses,” said Krishna Ella, Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Biotech.

“Our goals of developing a global vaccine against Covid-19 have been achieved with the use of Covaxin as a universal vaccine for adults and children,” he said.

Same dosage for all

Bharat Biotech said that the vaccine is formulated uniquely such that the same dosage can be administered to adults and children alike. With more than 20 crore doses having been administered to adults and children outside the US, Covaxin is currently authorised under emergency use in more than 20 countries.

“Emergency use authorisation is in process in more than 60 other countries,” the Hyderabad-based vaccine maker said.

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