Butantan works on a new version of a vaccine against the Ômicron variant

The Butantan Institute is carrying out studies so that the Butanvac vaccine, produced entirely by the institution, includes protection against the Ômicron variant of the coronavirus, according to President Dimas Covas.

As he explained at a press conference this Wednesday (16), the new immunizer had phase 1 studies completed and now there are talks with the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) so that phases 2 and 3 can be started.

“In Vietnam, for example, phase 2 is already over, so we should talk about this aspect with Anvisa. We are forecasting authorization for the second half of this year,” said Covas.

“We are already working on version 3.0 of this vaccine which, in addition to the original variant, should also include Ômicron”, he added.

coronavac

Another information passed on by the president of Butantan was that Sinovac said it was developing a version of CoronaVac that includes protection against the Ômicron variant and that it should start clinical studies in Hong Kong of this immunizer this month.

“We are preparing to carry out an arm of the study here in Brazil,” said Covas. According to Butantan, clinical studies in Brazil should begin in April this year.

The governor of the state of São Paulo, João Doria, informed that the Institute’s new vaccine factory is in the equipment installation phase and that it should start operating experimentally in the second half of the year. In March, a press conference will be held on site so that journalists can see the equipment and space.

Doria also announced during the press conference that Butantan will deliver 10 million doses of Coronavac to the federal government this Thursday (17).

This immunizer can be used to vaccinate children between 6 and 11 years old against Covid-19, as released by the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa). Those who are immunosuppressed or who are five years old should receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Dimas Covas, president of the Butantan Institute, said that the contract with the federal government was signed between Tuesday night (15th) and Wednesday morning (16th).

Covas also said that in the next 15 days they must complete the dossier to ask Anvisa to expand the authorization to apply Coronavac for children between 3 and 6 years old.

Source: CNN Brasil

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