Turkey says China’s Sinovac COVID vaccine is 91.25% effective in late studies

ANKARA (Reuters) – A COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sinovac Biotech in China is 91.25% effective, according to interim data from a late-stage study in Turkey, a potentially much better result than a study of the vaccine in Brazil.

Researchers in Brazil, who are also conducting a final phase III test of the vaccine, said Wednesday that the shot was more than 50 percent more effective, but retained the full results at the company’s request, raising questions about transparency.

Turkish researchers said on Thursday that no major side effects were observed during their trial, except for one person who had an allergic reaction. Common side effects caused by the vaccine were fever, mild pain and mild fatigue, they said.

The trials in Turkey began on September 14 and included more than 7,000 volunteers, the researchers said, adding that the results announced on Thursday were based on data from 1,322 people.

Sinovac is the first Chinese vaccine manufacturer to release details from late-stage clinical trials following the positive results of rival products developed by Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca last month.

Turkish researchers, speaking with Health Minister Fahrettin Koca, said 26 of the 29 people who became infected during the trial received a placebo, adding that the process would continue until 40 people became infected.

“We are now confident that the vaccine is effective and safe (for use) for the Turks,” Koca said, adding that Ankara will use the data to license the vaccine.

He also said that the researchers initially planned to announce the results after 40 people were infected, but that the results showed that the volunteers had minimal side effects after the shooting and that it was therefore considered safe.

“Despite the fact that it is risky, I saw a very light image in which the PCR of three people (COVID test) were positive, without fever or respiratory problems … We can easily say that, although it is risky, the three people went through it very easily, “he said.

TRANSPORT ARRIVED MONDAY

Turkey has agreed to buy 50 million doses of Sinovac’s shot and receive delivery by December 11, but the shipment has been delayed.

Koca said three million doses would arrive on Monday, adding that Turkey would vaccinate about nine million people in the first group, starting with health workers.

Sinovac has also signed supply agreements for its vaccine, called CoronaVac, with countries such as Indonesia, Brazil, Chile and Singapore and is negotiating with the Philippines and Malaysia.

CoronaVac was granted to tens of thousands of people as part of an emergency use program launched by China in July, targeting specific groups at high risk of infection.

CoronaVac is based on traditional vaccine technology that uses inactivated coronavirus that cannot replicate in human cells to trigger an immune response.

Vaccines developed by Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna use a new technology called synthetic messenger RNA (mRNA) to activate the immune system against the virus and require much colder storage.

Pfizer treatment is the first fully tested COVID-19 vaccine to be administered, with launches already underway in the UK and US.

Koca said Turkey will sign an agreement with Pfizer / BioNTech for 4.5 million doses of the vaccine to be delivered by the end of March, with the option to buy another 30 million doses later.

On Thursday, the number of deaths from coronavirus in Turkey rose by 254 to 19,115, according to the Ministry of Health, while the total number of COVID-19 infections rose by 18,102.