COVID-19 vaccine updates: Pfizer, Moderna to roll out COVID-19 vaccine by December

• There are 176 potential COVID-19 vaccines in the works right now across the world. Of these, 44 are under clinical evaluation,
• Meanwhile, the overall number of global coronavirus cases has increased to 40.7 million.

Vaccine development requires years, sometimes decades, of research. However, since COVID-19 struck, scientists have fast-tracked the process of making a vaccine. Several countries, including the US, UK, and India are expecting a vaccine by the year-end.

There are 176 potential COVID-19 vaccines in the works right now across the world. Of these, 44 are under clinical evaluation, according to the World Health Organisation’s vaccine update.

Meanwhile, according to Johns Hopkins University, the overall number of global coronavirus cases has increased to 44.4 million, while the deaths have soared to more than 1,173,270,

India is recording less than 50,000 new COVID-19 cases for a few days now. With the festive season round the corner, PM Modi has cautioned against complacency and asked people to take precautions, follow social distancing measures.

Here are the updates on COVID-19 vaccines from around the world:

Moderna and Pfizer to launch coronavirus vaccine shot by December

Moderna and Pfizer are expected to launch their COVID-19 vaccine by the end of the year. According to media reports, both Moderna and Pfizer are expecting late-stage trial results in the coming weeks. This comes as Oxford announced that its COVID-19 vaccine is suited both for young and older people.

UK says COVID-19 distribution may start before Christmas

Some of the people in the UK might receive the COVID-19 vaccine as early as Christmas. “If the first two vaccines, or either of them, show that they are both safe and effective, I think there is a possibility that vaccine rollout will start this side of Christmas, but other I think it’s more realistic to expect it to be early next year,” Kate Bingham, UK vaccine task force chief, told BBC.

Sanofi, GSK to supply COVAX with 200 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine

Sanofi and GSK have signed a Statement of Intent with Gavi, the legal administrator of the COVAX Facility, a global risk-sharing mechanism for pooled procurement and equitable distribution of eventual COVID-19 vaccines.

Sanofi and GSK intend to make available 200 million doses of their adjuvanted recombinant protein-based COVID-19 vaccine if approved by regulatory authorities and subject to contract, to the COVAX Facility.

Both companies intend to contribute to COVAX's ambition to ensure successful COVID-19 vaccines reach those in need, whoever they are and wherever they live, once they obtain appropriate approvals.

Infections were reported among Sputnik V trial volunteers

There have been instances of infection among volunteers of Sputnik V trials, the world's first registered vaccine against COVID-19 virus, according to a top official of the developer of the Russian vaccine, said a media report.

This is the reason why the developer of the vaccine, the Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Russian Healthcare Ministry, is considering the possibility of disclosing the data on who among the volunteers were administered the vaccine before summing up the results of the study, Russian news agency TASS reported on Wednesday.

Sputnik V: RDIF seeks vaccine's speedy registration, prequalification from WHO

The Russian Direct Investment Fund, the country's sovereign wealth fund, has submitted applications to the World Health Organisation (WHO) for accelerated registration and prequalification of Sputnik V, which is the world's first registered vaccine against COVID-19.

Russia has become one of the first countries to apply to WHO for prequalification of its vaccine against the novel coronavirus infection. The WHO prequalification of medicines assesses the quality, safety, and efficacy of medicines.

AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine volunteer dies in Brazil, human trials will continue

A Brazilian volunteer, who participated in a clinical trial of Oxford-AstraZeneca’s potential COVID-19 vaccine, died, Brazilian health authority Anvisa reported. It also added that the pharma giant will continue the trials. According to a local Brazilian newspaper, O Globo, the volunteer was a 28-year doctor who died because of COVID-19.

According to the Brazilian health authority, the death was reported on October 19 and the International Evaluation and Security Committee monitoring the trials suggested continuing since the volunteer may or may not have received the vaccine shot or a placebo. AstraZeneca would have paused the trials over safety concerns had the volunteer died after receiving its experimental vaccine.

Pfizer and BioNTech begin phase I/II clinical trials of mRNA vaccine in Japan.

Pfizer and BioNTech, on October 20, announced that they would be recruiting 160 people between 20 and 85 years of age to conduct a combined clinical trial of mRNA in Japan, reported Reuters. Pfizer is developing its vaccine candidate in partnership with Germany-based BioNTech.

Moderna CEO: COVID-19 vaccine’s interim results are likely to be released in November.

Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel expects interim results for its COVID-19 vaccine in November, reported Wall Street Journal.

“That first analysis is likely to occur in November, but it’s hard to predict exactly which week because it depends on the cases, the number of people getting sick,” Wall Street Journal reported quoting Bancel.

According to the report, Moderna CEO said that positive interim results in November may prompt the federal government to authorise emergency use of its experimental vaccine.

Chinese drugmaker is setting up vaccine production lines

A state-owned Chinese drugmaker is setting up production lines to supply 1 billion doses of two possible coronavirus vaccines that are being tested on 50,000 people in 10 countries, Liu Jingzhen, SinoPharm Group.

China's fledgling drug industry is part of a global race to produce a vaccine and has four candidates in the final stages of testing.