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A new plant-based coronavirus vaccine may soon be on the market. This is Covifenz®, developed by the Quebec company Medicago.
This is the first time that a plant-based vaccine has been shown to be effective against a virus. The Covifenz® vaccine, developed by the Quebec company Medicago, was made from a plant considered a weed (Nicotiana benthamiana, a cousin of tobacco), but which has already been used in the laboratory. The vaccine includes virus-like particles, combined with an adjuvant. What, perhaps, to convince the most recalcitrant people to messenger RNA vaccines.
Covid-19: a 69.5% effective vaccine
To test the efficacy and safety of the vaccine, an international phase III trial, randomized with placebo control, was conducted in 85 Canadian centers. The results were published in the prestigious journal The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) on May 4, 2022.
A total of 24,141 volunteers took part in the trial. Average age of participants, 29 years old.
Half of the patients included received two placebo injections while the other half received two intramuscular injections of the candidate vaccine, 21 days apart.
The primary endpoint was the measure of vaccine efficacy in preventing a symptomatic form of coronavirus disease occurring within 7 days after the second injection.
Results ? The efficacy of the vaccine was 69.5% against symptomatic forms of the disease (regardless of the intensity of the signs) and 78.8% against moderate to severe symptomatic forms of the disease. The vaccine would also be effective on several variants.
Furthermore, no serious side effects have been reported.
The Medicago company, which hopes for the soon marketing of the treatment, specifies that this vaccine is indicated for rather young people, from 18 to 64 years old.
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WHO disapproves of vaccine
While Canada authorized the vaccine on February 24, 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) is very reluctant.
In fact, the Medicago laboratory is more than 20% owned by a brand well known to the general public: Philipp Morris.
“The WHO and the UN have a strict policy regarding engagement with the tobacco and arms industries“, recalls Dr Mariangela Simao, WHO Deputy Director General for Access to Medicines, Vaccines and Pharmaceuticals.
In Canada, the first doses of Covifenz® were to be delivered at the end of May.