EpiVacCorona

EpiVacCorona
Package of EpiVacCorona vaccine
Vaccine description
TargetSARS-CoV-2
Vaccine typePeptide subunit
Clinical data
Trade namesEpiVacCorona
Other namesEpiVacCorona-N,[1] Aurora-CoV[1]
Routes of
administration
Intramuscular
ATC code
Legal status
Legal status
  • RU: Registered on 14 October 2020
Full list of EpiVacCorona authorizations
Identifiers
CAS Number
DrugBank

EpiVacCorona (Russian: ЭпиВакКорона, romanized: EpiVacCorona) is a peptide-based vaccine against COVID-19 developed by the Russian VECTOR Center of Virology.[2][3] The lack of protective effectiveness of EpiVacCorona, which is still in use in Russia, has been reported in scientific literature[4] and in the media.[5][6] The vaccine consists of three chemically synthesized peptides (short fragments of a viral spike protein) that are conjugated to a large carrier protein. This protein is a fusion product of a viral nucleocapsid protein and a bacterial MBP protein. A phase III clinical trial to show whether or not the vaccine can protect people against COVID-19 was launched in November 2020 with more than three thousand participants. The conclusions and results of the trial have not been made public.[7][8]

Some experts in the field have expressed concerns about the selection of peptides for use as vaccine antigens.[9][10] In addition, there are also serious concerns about the vaccine immunogenicity data, which have fueled independent civic research efforts[11][12][13] and criticism by some experts.[9] Current Time TV reported that "EpiVacCorona's reputation declined when vaccine trial participants sent an open letter to the Ministry of Health to flag 18 cases of COVID-19 infection among their group after vaccination with EpiVacCorona, and a lack of virus antibodies".[14]

  1. ^ a b "EpiVacCorona-N COVID-19 vaccine to be registered under Aurora-CoV brand name". Russian News Agency. 5 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Ryzhikov AB, Ryzhikov EA, Bogryantseva MP, Danilenko ED, Imatdinov IR, Nechaeva EA, et al. (2021). "Immunogenicity and protectivity of the peptide vaccine against SARS-CoV-2". Annals of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. 76: 5–19. doi:10.15690/vramn1528. S2CID 234892966.
  4. ^ Matveeva O, Ershov A (June 2022). "Retrospective Cohort Study of the Effectiveness of the Sputnik V and EpiVacCorona Vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant in Moscow (June-July 2021)". Vaccines. 10 (7): 984. doi:10.3390/vaccines10070984. PMC 9320764. PMID 35891148.
  5. ^ "Studies suggest 'negative efficacy' for vaccine EpiVacCorona". THE BELL. 1 February 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  6. ^ Ershov A (8 February 2022). "Worse than ineffective Two independent studies have confirmed that EpiVacCorona is a worthless vaccine — and it should be taken off the market". Meduza.
  7. ^ Clinical trial number NCT04780035 for "Multicenter Double-blind Placebo-controlled Comparative Randomized Study of the Tolerability, Safety, Immunogenicity and Prophylactic Efficacy of the EpiVacCorona Peptide Antigen-based Vaccine for the Prevention of COVID-19, With the Participation of 3000 Volunteers Aged 18 Years and Above (Phase III-IV)" at ClinicalTrials.gov
  8. ^ Tumakova I (21 August 2021). ""Мы хотим спасти людей от вакцины, если она неэффективна"". Novaya Gazeta. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  9. ^ a b Dobrovidova O (6 April 2021). "Russia's COVID-19 defense may depend on mystery vaccine from former bioweapons lab—but does it work?". Science | AAAS. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  10. ^ Dobrovidova O (April 2021). "Latest Russian vaccine comes with a big dose of mystery". Science. 372 (6538): 116–117. Bibcode:2021Sci...372..116D. doi:10.1126/science.372.6538.116. PMID 33833104. S2CID 233191522.
  11. ^ Reuters Staff (26 March 2021). "Volunteers break rank to raise doubts in trial of Russia's second COVID-19 vaccine". Reuters. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  12. ^ ""ЭпиВакКорона" глазами участников клинических испытаний и ученых-биологов". Троицкий вариант — Наука (in Russian). 23 March 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  13. ^ Ershov A (27 March 2021). "Sputnik V's ugly cousin Clinical results for Russia's EpiVacCorona vaccine are finally here, but developers published in an obscure local journal, raising questions and concerns". Meduza.
  14. ^ "Russia's Domestic Manufacturers Struggle To Meet Spike In Demand For COVID-19 Vaccines". Current Time. 26 June 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2022.