Valneva Covid vaccine outperforms AstraZeneca jab in trials
Hannah Kuchler
Valneva’s Covid-19 vaccine elicits a stronger immune response and far fewer side effects than the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab, according to trial results published a month after the UK terminated its €1.4bn deal with the French vaccine maker.
The first data from the phase 3 trial showed participants who were given the Valneva vaccine had more neutralising antibodies than those who received the AstraZeneca shot.
Adam Finn, professor of paediatrics at the University of Bristol and trial chief investigator, said the immune responses were “both impressive and extremely encouraging”.
“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,” he said.
Shares in Valneva fell 42 per cent in one day last month after the UK government said it was ending its agreement to purchase at least 100m doses of the vaccine. The government accused the vaccine maker of being in breach of the deal, which Valneva strenuously denied.