LONDON (AP) — Drugmakers Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline say they will seek regulatory approval for a new COVID-19 vaccine after human trials showed it provided a high level of protection against the disease.
The companies said in a statement that late-stage trials found that two doses of the vaccine were about 58% effective in preventing infection and 75% effective in preventing moderate to severe disease.
They said a separate study on the vaccine’s use as a booster showed that it “induced a significant increase in neutralizing antibodies."
Roger Connor, president of GSK Vaccines, says “the evolving epidemiology of COVID-19 demonstrates the need for a variety of vaccines.’’
"Our adjuvanted protein-based vaccine candidate uses a well-established approach that has been applied widely to prevent infection with other viruses including pandemic flu," he said. "We are confident that this vaccine can play an important role as we continue to address this pandemic and prepare for the post-pandemic period.”
Novavax is also seeking authorization for its protein-based COVID-19 vaccine.
Currently, Moderna and Pfizer's two-dose mRNA vaccines are approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Johnson and Johnson's single-dose vaccine is operating under emergency use authorization.
