EpiVacCorona
EpiVacCorona (Russian: ЭпиВакКорона, tr. EpiVacCorona) is a peptide-based vaccine against COVID-19 developed by the Russian VECTOR Center of Virology.[2][3] The lack of protective effectiveness of EpiVacCorona, which is still in use in Russia, has been reported in scientific literature[4] and in the media.[5][6] The vaccine consists of three chemically synthesized peptides (short fragments of a viral spike protein) that are conjugated to a large carrier protein. This protein is a fusion product of a viral nucleocapsid protein and a bacterial MBP protein. A phase III clinical trial to show whether or not the vaccine can protect people against COVID-19 was launched in November 2020 with more than three thousand participants. The conclusions and results of the trial have not been made public.[7][8]
Vaccine description
EpiVacCorona
- RU: Registered on 14 October 2020
Some experts in the field have expressed concerns about the selection of peptides for use as vaccine antigens.[9][10] In addition, there are also serious concerns about the vaccine immunogenicity data, which have fueled independent civic research efforts[11][12][13] and criticism by some experts.[9] Current Time TV reported that "EpiVacCorona's reputation declined when vaccine trial participants sent an open letter to the Ministry of Health to flag 18 cases of COVID-19 infection among their group after vaccination with EpiVacCorona, and a lack of virus antibodies".[14]
Society and culture[edit]
Economics[edit]
The Deputy Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Dr. Soumya Swaminathan during news conference in Geneva that took place in October 2020, told: "We will only be able to have a position on a vaccine when we see results of the phase III clinical trials."[28] The interim results of the Phase III study are expected to be announced in late 2021 or early 2022.[3] Therefore, the protective efficacy of the vaccine is currently unknown (July 2021). According to the center's director Rinat Maksyutov, many government and non-government organizations want to test or be involved in the production of the vaccine.[29] Venezuela has reached a deal to purchase doses of the vaccine, as well as manufacture it locally. Venezuela announces an agreement to acquire 10 million doses of the Russian EpiVacCorona vaccine.[30] Vice President Delcy Rodriguez provided this information on June 4, 2021.[31] Turkmenistan expects to receive EpiVacCorona, as the vaccine has already been approved for use in that country.[32] Among the countries that approved the vaccine also listed Cambodia.[33] List of COVID-19 vaccine authorizations EpiVacCorona include Turkmenistan that fully approved the vaccine,[32] Belarus, Cambodia, Russia, Venezuela had emergency authorization, and Malaysia, New Zealand as well as Turkey are allowing tourists vaccinated with EpiVacCorona to enter their countries.
Intellectual property[edit]
The following patents of the Russian Federation for invention have been published, which protect the EpiVacCorona vaccine:
"Peptide immunogens and vaccine composition against coronavirus infection COVID-19 using peptide immunogens" (No. 2738081). There are 7 peptides in patented vaccine compositions.
"Peptide immunogens and vaccine composition against coronavirus infection COVID-19 using peptide immunogens" (No. 2743593). The patented vaccine composition contains 2 peptides.
"Peptide immunogens used as a component of a vaccine composition against coronavirus infection COVID-19" (No. 2743594). The patented vaccine composition contains 3 peptides.
"Vaccine composition against coronavirus infection COVID-19" (No. 2743595). The patented vaccine composition contains 3 peptides.
In all of these patents, the carrier protein is referred to as a chimeric fusion protein with an amino acid sequence derived from two parts, a bacterial maltose binding protein and a viral nucleocapsid protein.