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Piecemeal data releases threaten to undermine Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine

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BM.GE
28.12.20 19:00
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Fragmental releases of efficacy data for the COVID-19 vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac could undermine confidence in the shot, experts warned, as several countries prepare for mass inoculations with the vaccine, - Reuters reports.

Turkish researchers said on Thursday Sinovac’s CoronaVac was 91.25% effective based on an interim analysis only to see a confusing readout the same day from Brazil which said the vaccine’s efficacy was between 50% and 90%.

Brazil has also delayed release of its efficacy data on the vaccine three times, as Sinovac seeks to consolidate data from global trials that include Indonesia, Turkey and Chile.

The efficacy data is closely watched as many developing countries have signed deals to use the Sinovac vaccine which is easier to store and transport than rival shots developed by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech and Moderna.

Experts say it’s not unusual for a vaccine to show different efficacy rates in various settings, as trial protocols, data size and population could impact results, but the way CoronaVac data has been released created some confusion.

“You really want the data to be compelling at first presentation; this is what Pfizer and Moderna achieved, AstraZeneca less so,” Jerome Kim, head of the International Vaccine Institute, a Seoul-based non-profit agency devoted to research in vaccine.

“With multiple ‘leaks’ of data and suggestions of this or that you don’t see the same effect with Sinovac; perhaps the final presentation in January will be more compelling.”

Sinovac had no immediate comment.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said on Monday at a daily briefing that its vaccine developers were pushing forward “in strict adherence to scientific principles and regulatory requirement”.

Four other Chinese vaccines from Sinopharm, CanSino Biologics and the Chinese Academy of Sciences are in Phase 3 clinical trials.

MORE DATA AND TRANSPARENCY

The Turkish trial data for CoronaVac is based on analysis of 1,322 participants which included 29 infected people, and efficacy evaluations were made 14 days after the second dose was administered.

Authorities initially planned to announce results when the number of patients reached 40, but released interim evaluation as the country looks to grant emergency use authorization.

Indonesia, which is also considering the shot for mass inoculation, confused the world earlier this month when state-owned Bio Farma said the vaccine’s efficacy was 97%. It later clarified that the prevention rate could not be determined yet and it was necessary to wait for complete data.

“When you are not able to release sufficient details, it’s probably better not to make your announcement like that,” said Paul Griffin, a professor at the University of Queensland who is also running a number of COVID-19 vaccine studies.