Coronavirus – The Institut Pasteur stops its vaccine project, deemed ineffective

Read the full news https://www.en24news.com/129080/2021/01/coronavirus-the-institut-pasteur-stops-its-vaccine-project-deemed-ineffective-2.html

The Institut Pasteur announced on Monday that it was halting the development of its main Covid-19 vaccine project, because the first tests showed that it was less effective than expected.

Another French player, the Sanofi laboratory, announced in December that its vaccine was delayed and would not be ready until late 2021, due to worse-than-expected results.

In the case of Pasteur’s vaccine, “”the induced immune responses were found to be lower than those observed in people cured of a natural infection as well as those observed with authorized vaccines” against Covid-19, explained the Institute to justify its decision to terminate its project.

“Lower immune responses”

Pasteur’s vaccine used as a basis the measles vaccine, adapted to fight Covid-19.

To design and distribute it, the French research institute had joined forces with the pharmaceutical company MSD (name of the American group Merck outside the United States and Canada).

MSD had indeed bought last year the Austrian biotechnology company Themis, with which Pasteur has been working for several years on the development of various vaccines, including that against Covid-19.

Phase 1 trials (the first stage of human trials) began last August.

Pasteur said he was continuing work on other Covid vaccine projects, but at a preliminary stage.

Other vaccine research projects

“

Read the full news https://www.en24news.com/129080/2021/01/coronavirus-the-institut-pasteur-stops-its-vaccine-project-deemed-ineffective-2.html

The first, which can be administered by the nasal route, has been developed with the biotechnology company TheraVectys, a member of the Institut Pasteur and specializing in the development of vaccines.

Read the full news https://www.en24news.com/129080/2021/01/coronavirus-the-institut-pasteur-stops-its-vaccine-project-deemed-ineffective-2.html

The second is a DNA vaccine candidate, ”said Pasteur.

These two projects “are now in the preclinical phase”, that is to say that no trials have yet been carried out on humans.

In addition, this judgment “does not call into question the continuation of other vaccine research projects carried out in partnership with Themis / Merck-MSD”, based on the measles vaccine, says Pasteur.

According to the Institute, research is underway to use this technology against other infectious diseases (Lassa fever, chikungunya).

AFP

Posted: 01/25/2021, 1:17 PM