Community health crisis accelerated the studies

Asst. Prof. Dr. Ender Volkan Çınar stated that scientists in various parts of the world are trying to find an effective and safe vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 and that the initiatives of Moderna firm in the USA and Oxford University in England are the two vaccine candidates.

“Normally, the vaccine studies that span over a long period are continuing at an accelerated rate due to the public health crisis created by COVID-19”, said Çınar and noted that the vaccination studies continue in China and other Asian countries as well as in the UK and the USA.

It was reminded that any vaccine has gone through many tests before it is used in the community and noted that Phase 1 clinical studies start when it is ready.

Also, the vaccine is given to healthy volunteers at this level to investigate whether it is safe and immunogenic; thereafter at Phase 2 and Phase 3, by studies, the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine are proven.

Phase 3 study will be conducted
Asst. Prof. Dr. Çınar pointed out that 2 prospective vaccines are worked with at these levels. “The effect of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine, which scientists from the Oxford University of England are working on, has been tested at Phase 1 and 2 clinical studies. It has been observed that this vaccine is safe and does not cause any serious side effects and increased immunity after the second dose. Phase 3 studies are planned to start soon for the vaccine, which has been observed to affect both antibody and cellular basis,” said Çınar.

Speaking about the mRNA-1273 vaccine studies of Moderna company in the USA, Çınar relayed that Phase 1 studies started in mid-March for the vaccine in question, and the vaccine applied to 45 healthy volunteers aged 18-55, immunized them after two doses and did not cause any serious side effects.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Çınar noting that Phase 2 clinical studies of this vaccine have been started as of May, said, “In this phase, the effects of vaccine doses and its effects for immunity were investigated. Phase 3 studies, which will begin later, will be tried on thousands of people and so, the effectiveness of the vaccine on larger groups will be studied”.