Coronavirus Vaccine | From cost, efficacy, availability to storage, here’s everything you need to know about frontrunners

As the novel coronavirus cases surge across the world, the drug-makers and research centres are scrambling to develop and deliver a vaccine against COVID-19. Two of the coronavirus vaccine have been found highly effective in the final stage trials. Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine has shown 95 percent efficacy while Moderna’s vaccine is 94.5 percent effective but the two vaccines need some of the coldest temperatures for storage. However, Oxford- AstraZeneca’s vaccine is 70 percent effective and best suited for India. The world awaits a clinically approved vaccine to fight against the outbreak. It is necessary that countries have access to the vaccine to curb the pandemic, which has claimed over 14,00,000 lives. From vaccine efficacy, cost, storage to its availability, here’s everything you need to know about the frontrunners. (Image: Reuters)

1 | BNT162: Pfizer-BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine | Cost: The companies are reportedly charging $20 per dose for their vaccine. American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has said its COVID-19 vaccine, developed in partnership with BioNTech, is 95 percent effective in the final efficacy analysis based on clinical trials. The first primary objective analysis was based on 170 cases of COVID-19, of which 162 cases received a placebo and only eight received the two-dose vaccine. Analysis of the data indicated a vaccine efficacy rate of 95 percent in participants. Based on current projections, the companies expect to produce globally up to 50 million vaccine doses in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses by the end of 2021. It consists of two injections in a break of 21 days. While Pfizer and BioNTech await potential authorisation or approval from regulatory agencies, the companies continue to work in collaboration with the governments and ministries of health around the world that will distribute the vaccine, subject to approval, to help ensure it can reach those most in need as quickly as possible. The vaccine requires some of the coldest storage temperatures of minus 70 degrees Celsius. (Image: Reuters)

2 | mRNA-1273: Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine | Cost: As per the recent report the company will charge governments between $25 and $37 per dose of its coronavirus vaccine  America’s biotechnology company Moderna met its primary efficacy endpoint in the first interim analysis of the Phase 3 COVID study with a vaccine efficacy of 94.5 percent. The company announced a longer shelf life for its coronavirus vaccine at refrigerated temperatures. The vaccine’s specially designed messenger RNA (genetic material) produces antigen which provokes the immune system, helping the body to defend itself against COVID-19. Moderna claims that its vaccine can remain stable at standard home or medical refrigerator, of 36 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit temperature, for up to 30 days. The company expects to have roughly around 20 million vaccine doses ready to ship to the US by the end of the year and aims to manufacture 500 million to 1 billion doses globally in 2021. (Image: Reuters)

3 | AZD1222: Oxford University and AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine | Cost: As per reports, the vaccine which requires two doses is priced at $3 to $4 | On November 23, the British-Swedish drug-maker AstraZeneca said its coronavirus vaccine being developed jointly with the University of Oxford has shown an average efficacy of 70 percent on the basis of the interim analysis of its late-stage clinical trials conducted in the UK and Brazil. An independent Data Safety Monitoring Board determined that the analysis met its primary endpoint showing protection from COVID-19 occurring 14 days or more after receiving two doses of the vaccine. AstraZeneca continues to engage with governments, multilateral organisations and collaborators around the world to ensure broad and equitable access to the vaccine at no profit for the duration of the pandemic. Reports suggest that AstraZeneca's vaccine can be stored, transported and handled at normal refrigerated conditions (2-8 degrees Celsius/ 36-46 degrees Fahrenheit) for at least six months and administered within existing healthcare settings, hence is best suited for India. (Image: AFP)

4 | Sputnik V vaccine: Coronavirus vaccine by Russian Ministry of Health | Cost: The two-dose vaccine's price will be much lower as compared to Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccine | According to the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which has been backing the vaccine and marketing it globally, interim results show that Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine is 92 percent effective at protecting people from COVID-19, based on data from the first 16,000 trial participants to receive both shots of the two-dose vaccine. The Sputnik V vaccine is expected to respond from two shots administered 21 days apart based on different viral vectors. Reports suggest the vaccine can be stored at 2-8 degrees Celsius temperature. Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine for COVID-19 has reportedly arrived in India after Dr Reddy’s Laboratories got approval from the Drug Control General of India  to conduct phase 2 and 3 human clinical trials of the vaccine. (Image: Reuters)