Sinovac Vaccine 78% Effective In Brazil Trial, Experts Call For More Details

SAO PAULO: A coronavirus vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech was 78% effective in a late-stage Brazilian trial with no severe COVID-19 cases, researchers said on Thursday, although a lack of data details stirred calls for more transparency.

The trial results, closely watched by developing countries counting on the vaccine to begin mass inoculations to help end a raging pandemic, was below preliminary findings from Turkish researchers and lacked detailed data provided on U.S. and European vaccines.

The director of Brazilian biomedical center Butantan, Sinovac’s research and production partner, said detailed results were being submitted to health regulator Anvisa as part of a request for emergency use of the vaccine.

“One thing is a presentation at a news conference. It’s something else to get the data and analyze it, which is what Anvisa will do,” said Cristina Bonorino, who sits on the scientific committee of the Brazilian Immunology Society. “If it’s what…