Bharat Biotech’s Zika Virus vaccine 100% efficient in animal trials

A study has indicated that the Bharat Biotech’s ‘killed Zika virus vaccine’ has shown 100 per cent efficacy against mortality and disease in animal studies.

The study has been published in April 2017 the Nature group journal Scientific Reports.

As per the study, the firm’s ‘killed virus vaccine’ or ‘inactivated vaccine’ contains virus that has been grown in culture and then killed using physical or chemical processes.

Key results of the study

• The vaccine was found to confer 100 per cent protection against infection caused by an Asian Zika virus strain as well as by the African Zika virus strain.

• Two doses of 5 and 10 microgram of the vaccine given through intramuscular route on days 0 and 21 to mice were found to protect the animals against Zika virus 7 days after the second vaccination.

• During the testing, the animals that were not vaccinated died 8 days after infection by the African strain and 12 days after infection by the Asian strain.

• On the other hand, the animals that received the vaccine exhibited “undetectable” viral load. The amount of virus present in animals that did not receive the vaccine peaked four days after being infected with either the African or Asian Zika virus strain.

• The animals that received the vaccine developed Zika-neutralising antibodies on day 14 after the first dose and a week after the second dose.

• The vaccine was developed using the African strain of the virus. Still, the vaccine protects against Zika infection caused by the contemporary Asian strains of Zika virus.