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  • Needle-free Covid Vaccine: A Game Changer On The Horizon, Says New Study

    Needle-free Covid Vaccine: A Game Changer On The Horizon, Says New Study


    A novel nasal and needle-free Covid-19 vaccine, licenced to Hyderabad-based Indian Immunologicals, is set to be a game changer against the infectious disease, according to research on Tuesday. 

    The study led by a team from Griffith University in Australia investigated the effectiveness of administering a Covid vaccination — CDO-7N-1 — through the nasal passages.

    “This is a live attenuated intranasal vaccine, called CDO-7N-1, designed to be administered intranasally, thereby inducing potential mucosal immunity as well as systemic immunity with just a single dose,” said Professor Suresh Mahalingam of Griffith’s Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics.

    The research, published in the journal, Nature Communications, showed the vaccine induces strong memory responses in the nasal mucosa offering long-term protection for up to a year or more.

    “It’s been designed to be administered as a single dose, ideally as a booster vaccine, as a safe alternative to needles with no adverse reactions in the short or long term,” Mahalingam said.

    Compared to alternative vaccination strategies, live-attenuated vaccines provide several important advantages.

    Their effects on humoral and cellular immunity are strong and persistent, but they frequently require a dose.

    Unlike many other vaccine platforms that use a single antigen, live-attenuated vaccines include the complete virus, resulting in broad immunity.

    Dr Xiang Liu, the lead author of the study noted that CDO-7N-1 “provides cross-protection against all variants of concern”. It also has neutralising capacity against SARS-CoV-1 — the respiratory illness responsible for the 2002–2004 SARS outbreak.

    “The vaccine offers potent protection against transmission, prevents reinfection and the spread of the virus, while also reducing the generation of new variants,” Liu said.

    “Unlike the mRNA vaccine which targets only the spike protein, CDO-7N-1 induces immunity to all major SARS-CoV-2 proteins and is highly effective against all major variants to date. Importantly, the vaccine remains stable at 4 degrees Celsius for seven months, making it ideal for low- and middle-income countries,” Liu added.

    The vaccine has been licenced to Indian Immunologicals — a significant vaccine producer for human and animal use.

    Dr. K. Anand Kumar, Managing Director of Indian Immunologicals said the company has “completed all the necessary study of the vaccine” and now plans to launch “clinical trials”.



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  • AstraZeneca COVID Vaccine Trial: Vaccine trial patient claims was permanently disabled after taking AstraZeneca’s COVID vaccine; here’s what happened | – Times of India

    AstraZeneca COVID Vaccine Trial: Vaccine trial patient claims was permanently disabled after taking AstraZeneca’s COVID vaccine; here’s what happened | – Times of India



    Amidst growing concerns around the safety of COVID vaccines developed by AstraZeneca, a new claim has come to the fore. A 42 year old American woman has claimed that she was “permanently disabled” after taking AstraZeneca‘s COVID vaccine during the clinical trial process. She also claims that her disability was due to the failure by the drug maker in providing her with medical care when she developed side effects.
    “Brianne Dressen, a 42-year-old former teacher from Utah, says she developed a severe neurological condition after taking part in a vaccine trial in 2020. She is suing AstraZeneca for an alleged breach of contract, after she said it failed to provide medical care for her side effects,” The Telegraph reported. It is believed to be the first of its kind lawsuit in the US.

    What happened to her?

    “…she experienced a severe sensation of pins and needles across her body shortly after she received the jab in November 2020,” as per the media report. She was later diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy, her condition was classified as “post vaccine neuropathy”.

    Post-vaccine neuropathy is a rare condition where nerve damage occurs after vaccination, leading to symptoms like pain, tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness. It is believed to result from an immune response triggered by the vaccine. Most cases are mild and temporary, resolving within weeks to months. Treatment focuses on symptom management, including pain relief and physical therapy. The occurrence of such adverse side effects is concerning.

    “This thing took me out of my job – I’m still permanently disabled,” she said. “I still have that horrific nightmare of the pins and needles sensation coursing through my body, head to toe, 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” she told Telegraph.

    TTS, the rare side effect AstraZeneca admitted in court documents

    AstraZeneca has admitted of the occurrence of TTS or Thrombosis Thrombocytopenia Syndrome. Thrombosis Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) is a rare but serious condition characterized by the formation of blood clots (thrombosis) combined with low platelet counts (thrombocytopenia). Symptoms typically appear within two weeks post-vaccination and include severe headaches, abdominal pain, leg swelling, and shortness of breath.

    Not just Brianne, more than 50 people in the UK have already filed lawsuits against the British pharma company. Several parents in India are suing Serum Institute of India, the manufacturer of AstraZeneca vaccine Covishield in India. Meanwhile, AstraZeneca has withdrawn its COVID vaccine worldwide citing commercial reasons; the move came only a few weeks after its admission in court documents regarding the possibility of rare side effects due to the vaccine.

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  • Coronavirus: ​Single vaccine against three types of coronavirus sees success​

    Coronavirus: ​Single vaccine against three types of coronavirus sees success​


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