Valneva reports positive results from vaccine trial
Valneva vaccine shows good outcomes in comparison with AstraZeneca jab
A covid-19 vaccine made by Valneva produced stronger antibody responses and fewer side effects than the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine in a clinical trial, the French company has announced. The trial included more than 4600 participants in the UK, who were randomly allocated one of the two vaccines, while delta was the predominant coronavirus variant in circulation. The rate of covid-19 cases was similar in the two groups and no participants developed severe illness from covid-19.
Valneva’s experimental vaccine, VLA2001, consists of inactivated whole virus particles, in combination with two adjuvants – drugs given to augment the immune response. “This is a much more traditional approach to vaccine manufacture than the vaccines so far deployed in the UK, Europe and North America and these results suggest this vaccine candidate is on track to play an important role in overcoming the pandemic,” said Adam Finn at the University of Bristol, UK, chief investigator for the trial, in a press release.
Last month, the UK government scrapped an order for 100 million doses of Valneva’s vaccine, with health secretary Sajid Javid later telling MPs it had been clear the vaccine “would not get approval” by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in the UK. Valneva said on 13 September that the UK government served notice over allegations of a breach of the supply agreement, which the company strenuously denied.