Convalescent COVID-19 patients allergic to thiomersal receive Abdala and Mambisa in clinical trial

HAVANA, Cuba, Nov 8 (ACN) Some 50 COVID-19 convalescents, most of them allergic to thiomersal, have been included in phase II of the clinical trial with the Abdala vaccine and the vaccine candidate Mambisa, which is being carried out at the Hermanos Ameijeiras Surgical Clinical Hospital in Havana.

In statements to the Cuban News Agency, Dr. Iglermys Figueroa Garcia, principal investigator of the trial at the center, pointed out that the vaccination process in Havana's convalescent population has restricted the number of volunteers who can be included in the study, and the researchers have found that most of the volunteers are allergic to the agent.

The head of the Allergy Service of the institution and master in Infectious Diseases pointed out that the participants involved in phase I are still undergoing immunological follow-up, where encouraging results were demonstrated by the increase in the titers of antibodies, which are capable of inhibiting and neutralizing the replication of SARS-CoV-2.

The clinical trial in its first stage was divided into four groups, which received the immunogens in a randomized manner, in the case of Mambisa by nasal spray, drop dispenser or by means of a Cuban syringe device, while Abdala was applied by intramuscular injection, Figueroa Garcia detailed.

Based on the evaluation of the results, the Cuban vaccine with syringe, created by the Cuban Neurosciences Center, was selected for Phase II, in addition to the Abdala vaccine, as it reported similar efficacy results in relation to the other forms of administration and was more easily produced.

A total of 928 convalescents are expected to be included in the clinical trial, as long as they are between 19 and 80 years of age, two months or more after medical discharge, have not previously received another anti-COVID-19 vaccine and are compensated for their primary diseases.