New Austrian Covid-19 vaccine could protect against Omicron
The vaccine - developed by the Medical University of Vienna (MedUni) - could protect against all existing Covid-19 variants.
A new Covid-19 vaccine developed by MedUni in Vienna could offer protection against Omicron, according to the results of a recent study conducted in Austria's capital city.
The results show the antibody response was stronger with the new vaccine than in people already fully vaccinated with two doses of a registered vaccine, or those who have recovered from the virus.
The vaccine - which is a combination of the Covid-19 and Hepatitis B vaccine - even prompted an antibody response in people who have not yet been vaccinated.
READ ALSO: How Austria’s attempt to make vaccines mandatory changed the country
The protein-based vaccine is currently known as PreS-RBD and the results of the study were published in the European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
The study was led by Rudolf Valenta, a researcher at the Centre for Pathophysiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology at MedUni.
Valenta said: "The vaccine is designed to enable repeated injections to build up lasting sterilising immunity, could be used in all age and risk groups and appears to be superior to the vaccines currently available in terms of induction of neutralising antibodies."
The Wiener Zeitung reports that the first clinical trials for approval of the vaccine could be carried out later this year if funding is secured.
The Covid-19 vaccines that are currently approved for use in the EU are BioNTech/Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Novavax, Moderna and AstraZeneca.
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A new Covid-19 vaccine developed by MedUni in Vienna could offer protection against Omicron, according to the results of a recent study conducted in Austria's capital city.
The results show the antibody response was stronger with the new vaccine than in people already fully vaccinated with two doses of a registered vaccine, or those who have recovered from the virus.
The vaccine - which is a combination of the Covid-19 and Hepatitis B vaccine - even prompted an antibody response in people who have not yet been vaccinated.
READ ALSO: How Austria’s attempt to make vaccines mandatory changed the country
The protein-based vaccine is currently known as PreS-RBD and the results of the study were published in the European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
The study was led by Rudolf Valenta, a researcher at the Centre for Pathophysiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology at MedUni.
Valenta said: "The vaccine is designed to enable repeated injections to build up lasting sterilising immunity, could be used in all age and risk groups and appears to be superior to the vaccines currently available in terms of induction of neutralising antibodies."
The Wiener Zeitung reports that the first clinical trials for approval of the vaccine could be carried out later this year if funding is secured.
The Covid-19 vaccines that are currently approved for use in the EU are BioNTech/Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Novavax, Moderna and AstraZeneca.
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