Cuba released new efficacy statistics for anti-COVID-19 vaccine

HAVANA, Cuba, Jul 16 (ACN) The statistical analysis of a larger volume of data revealed other favorable results of efficacy of the Cuban vaccine Abdala against symptomatic COVID-19, informed today Dr. Francisco Hernandez Bernal, chief monitor of the clinical studies with this immunogen of the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB by its Spanish acronym).

The specialist told the media today in Havana that out of the 48, 000 volunteers involved in the Phase III clinical trial in the provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Granma and Guantanamo, 153 patients, 142 of them placebos, were positive to the virus (11 vaccinated) and developed symptoms 14 days after the application of the vaccine.

Likewise, there was evidence of 100 % efficacy of the formulation in the prevention of severe symptomatic disease (patients who develop complications and require invasive mechanical ventilation), as well as in the prevention of death, since there were no deaths in the immunized group.
Hernandez Bernal explained that other research is continuing with Abdala, while clinical trials are progressing in other populations, following the recent approval of its emergency use on July 9.

In this regard, Dr. Verena Muzio Gonzalez, director of Clinical Research of the CIGB, recalled that on July 15, the clinical study began in the pediatric population "Ismaelillo", in Camaguey, with the administration of the first dose to 44 adolescents between 12 and 18 years of age.
Subsequently, she continued, it will start with the three to 11 year-old age group, and then include in Phase II up to a total of 592 volunteers in two health areas in the municipality of Camagüey at first, and then another seven will be included.

At the same time, the doctor said that they will continue with the trials in convalescents, with the vaccine candidate Mambisa and the Abdala vaccine.

Abdala has a 92.28 % efficacy in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19, with a confidence interval between 85.7 and 95.8 %, higher than that recommended by the World Health Organization, so it has the indispensable requirements to be considered an effective vaccine against the SARS-Cov-2 coronavirus.