Chinese biotech firm Clover says its vaccine is effective against multiple coronavirus variants

Trials show 79 per cent efficacy against any severity of illness from Delta, says company as it awaits WHO emergency use approval

Clover will supply up to 414 million doses for global use on behalf of the Covax Facility, which provides vaccine access for low- and middle-income countries

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Clover Biopharmaceuticals has released the results of its Covid-19 vaccination trials. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 9:19am, 23 Sep 2021Updated: 10:26pm, 23 Sep 2021

Clover Biopharmaceuticals, a Chinese biotech start-up that has developed a protein-based Covid-19 vaccine and is a supplier of Covax, said on Wednesday that trials showed the vaccine was 79 per cent effective against any severity of Covid-19 caused by the Delta variant.

The study also showed the vaccine candidate, known as SCB-2019, was 92 per cent effective against the Gamma variant and 59 per cent against the Mu variant. The overall efficacy against all the strains in the study – including the three variants, which comprised 73 per cent of the total – was 67 per cent, according to a statement released by Clover.

The vaccine was administered in two doses 21 days apart. Preliminary study shows it can be stored at temperature of 2 to 8 degrees Celsius (35.6-46.4 degrees Fahrenheit) for up to six months.

“It is the first vaccine candidate to demonstrate significant efficacy against all three of these variants. Differences in vaccine efficacy across variant strains are driven by the unique mutation profiles of each variant, which can make some strains more transmissible and/or virulent than others and may enable immune escape,” the company said.

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The trials evaluated the efficacy, safety and immunogenicity of SCB-2019 in more than 30,000 adult and elderly participants in Asia, Europe, Latin America and Africa. CEPI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, funded the trials with an investment of US$328 million.

CEPI’s partner Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, a public-private partnership, announced in June an advance purchase agreement with Clover to supply up to 414 million doses for global use by next year on behalf of the Covax Facility, an initiative to provide equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines for low- and middle-income countries.

Chinese biotech firm Clover says its vaccine is effective against multiple coronavirus variants

Trials show 79 per cent efficacy against any severity of illness from Delta, says company as it awaits WHO emergency use approval Clover will supply up to 414 million doses for global use on behalf of the Covax Facility, which provides vaccine access for low- and middle-income countries

Trials show 79 per cent efficacy against any severity of illness from Delta, says company as it awaits WHO emergency use approval

Clover will supply up to 414 million doses for global use on behalf of the Covax Facility, which provides vaccine access for low- and middle-income countries