Phase-2 trials of first antidote against Covid-19 by Hyderabad-based company successful

HYDERABAD: VINS Bioproducts Limited, a leading Hyderabad-based immunological company, on Tuesday announced the successful completion of the phase-2 clinical trials of VINCOV-19, India’s first antidote and cure against SARS-CoV-2 virus. 

VINCOV-19 is now ready for market authorisation and for simultaneous phase-3 clinical trials. The trial was conducted across multiple centres, including over 200 patients, in India by the University of Hyderabad (UoH) and the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in collaboration with VINS. 

In the second phase of the clinical trial, VINCOV-19 was administered to patients with moderate severity of Covid-19. One group of patients was given VINCOV-19, along with Standard of Care (SoC), and another group received only SoC. VINCOV-19 showed an excellent safety profile in the phase 2 trials.

There was a good and early improvement in the clinical condition of the patients administered VINCOV-19.The antidote contains equine polyclonal antibodies against the Covid-19 virus. It has highly purified antibody fragments with a high neutralising capacity against the coronavirus that could block the virus from entering lung cells. It was postulated that their passive administration should render maximal clinical benefits if they are applied at the early stages of the disease. Scientists also tested VINCOV-19 against the Omicron variant.

“These therapeutic antibodies are the first in India and among the few around the globe. It is essential to have multiple options, including therapeutic antibodies, especially for severe clinical cases of Covid,” said CCMB director Dr Vinay K. Nandicoori.