The second generation of AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine is undergoing clinical trials, the president of the company's Thailand operations said.
AstraZeneca and Siam Bioscience this week co-hosted a virtual media tour called "From Lab to Jab" to digitally exhibit the manufacturing process of its Covid vaccine at Siam Bioscience, one of its manufacturers.
The company, which is receiving the viral vector-type vaccine from AstraZeneca in the United Kingdom, said the aim was to show both parties' commitment to providing health security and combatting the pandemic.
Officials said the second generation of AstraZeneca's vaccine would directly target a later mutation of Covid-19 that is of particular concern.
James Teague, the AstraZeneca (Thailand) president, said the second generation stands as a different vaccine from the previous one provisionally labelled AZD2816.
He said it is undergoing phase two and phase three clinical trials.
"It is the same technology. It is the same viral vector platform but it is modified to be more specifically targeted around the Beta variant of concern," he said.
According to AstraZeneca's website, this vaccine uses the same adenoviral vector platform as Vaxzeveria but with a minor alteration to the spike protein based on the Beta (also known as B.1.351 or South African) variant.
On June 27, this vaccine entered clinical trials among 2,250 participants across the United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil and Poland.
For this, the vaccine is administered to individuals who had previously received two doses of Vaxzeveria or an mRNA vaccine, at least three months after their last injection.
Non–vaccinated individuals can either get two doses of AZD2816 four or 12 weeks apart or just one as a second dose after being administered Vaxzeveria at least four weeks earlier.
Mr Teague said the second-generation vaccine and related technology would be transferred to the Thai government and partners next year.
He said the current AstraZeneca vaccine remains effective and people should not lose confidence in it.
"The message I want everyone to remember is that the current vaccine AZD1222 is extremely effective," he said.
"In clinical studies, we have seen 100% effectiveness in Covid-19 cases of severe hospitalisation.
"In the real world, after millions of doses, we have seen how effective it is against the WHO's variant of concern, at a level of about 80%-90%," he added.
When asked about the production schedule for 2022, he said AstraZeneca had committed to completing delivery by the third quarter.
