Covaxin booster jab neutralises Omicron, Delta: Bharat Biotech

Vaccine maker Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin booster shot can neutralise both Omicron and Delta variants of SARS-CoV-2 virus, a study has shown. Announcing the test results of the study, Bharat Biotech on Wednesday said that 100% of test serum samples showed neutralisation of the Delta variant and more than 90% of serum samples showed neutralisation of the Omicron variant.

This was based on a study conducted at Emory University. Sera from subjects who received a booster dose of Covaxin six months after getting a primary two-dose series of Covaxin neutralised the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron and Delta variants. The study will shortly be published on the pre-print server, the company said.

Mehul Suthar, assistant professor, Emory Vaccine Center, who led the laboratory analysis, said data from the preliminary analysis showed individuals receiving a booster dose of Covaxin had 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,”, Suthar said.

Krishna Ella, chairman and MD, Bharat Biotech, said the positive neutralisation responses against the Omicron and Delta variants validated the hypothesis of the vaccine generating both humoral and cell mediated immune responses.

“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,” Shankar Musunuri, chairman, CEO and co-founder of Ocugen said. Ocugen is co-developing Covaxin vaccine candidate with Bharat Biotech for Covid-19 in the US and Canadian markets.

Ocugen contacted the Emory Vaccine Center (Atlanta, GA) to test human immune sera obtained from participants in an ongoing Phase-2 clinical trials. Bharat Biotech provided the sera of the subjects.