Zydus Cadila’s ZyCov-D, which will be the world’s first DNA vaccine, is believed to be effective against the Delta variant.
As the Delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus emerges as the new threat around the world, vaccine manufacturers are releasing data on their product’s effectiveness against this variant. Of all the variants, including Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta. Delta has been found to be the most virulent. First reported in India in October 2020, this variant is now found in 96 countries and is set to replace Alpha, first reported in the UK, as the dominant strain.
Here is the effectiveness of current vaccines against the Delta strain.
Studies have found that Covid variants reduce the levels of neutralizing antibodies created by vaccines. Based on these reduction figures, data on the effectiveness of these vaccines against various variants are available internationally.
Pfizer: Delta variant results in a 7-10 fold reduction in neutralizing antibody levels from Pfizer.
Moderna: The Dela variant causes a 7-10 fold reduction in the levels of Moderna neutralizing antibodies.
Covaxin: Covaxin from Bharat Biotech sees a three-fold reduction in the levels of neutralizing antibodies against the Delta variant.
Covishield: The effect of the Covishield or Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine is reduced twice against Delta.
Russian-made Sputnik also claimed its vaccine was effective against the Delta variant, although Russia is currently witnessing a third wave of the pandemic.
ZyCov-D, another Indian vaccine after Covaxin, which will be the world’s first three-dose, needle-free DNA vaccine, also claimed that the vaccine in the clinical trial was found to be effective against the Delta variant. The Phase 3 clinical trial of the vaccine was conducted during the peak of the second wave of Covid-19 in the country and, therefore, the vaccine is believed to be effective against the Delta variant.
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