Coronavirus: Why Combining The Oxford Vaccine With Russia’s Sputnik V Vaccine Could Make It More Effective
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on The Conversation.
The Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine
This paragraph from the Wikipedia entry for the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, gives the basic details of the vaccine.
The Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine (codenamed AZD1222) is a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca given by intramuscular injection, using as a vector the modified chimpanzee adenovirus ChAdOx1. One dosing regimen showed 90% efficiency when a half-dose was followed by a full-dose after at least one month, based on mixed trials with no participants over 55 years old. Another dosing regimen showed 62% efficiency when given as two full doses separated by at least one month.
It puzzles me and I suspect it puzzles experts, that the two different vaccination regimes gave different answers.
The article on the Conversation says this.
This was intriguing. Why would giving people less of the vaccine lead to a more effective immune response? The answer to this may lie in the design of the vaccine, and could mean that there are ways to make this vaccine – and others that use the same design – more effective.
I will attempt to answer this question, in the rest of this post.
The Russian Sputnik V Vaccine
This paragraph from the Wikipedia entry for the Oxford–Russian Sputnik V vaccine, gives the basic details of the vaccine.
Gam-COVID-Vac, trade-named Sputnik V, is a COVID-19 vaccine developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, and registered on 11 August 2020 by the Russian Ministry of Health.
In most countries following guidelines of the World Health Organization, vaccine candidates are not approved for regular use until safety and efficacy data from Phase III trials are assessed and confirmed internationally by regulators. Gam-COVID-Vac was initially approved for distribution in Russia on the preliminary results of Phase I-II studies eventually published on 4 September 2020.
The quick approval of Gam-COVID-Vac was met with criticism in mass media and precipitated discussions in the scientific community whether this decision was justified in the absence of robust scientific research confirming the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.
In December 2020, interim analysis from 22,714 participants in a Phase III trial were published, claiming 91% efficacy with no unusual side effects.
Wikipedia says, that a medical citation is needed for the Phase III trial.
Both Vaccines Are Viral-Vector Vaccines
The Oxford vaccine is based around a modified chimpanzee adenovirus ChAdOx1, whilst the Russian vaccine is based on two human adenoviruses.
Adenoviruses are a family of viruses, that include the common cold.
The two shots of the Oxford vaccine are identical in composition, but the two shots of the Russian vaccine use a different adenovirus.
Both vaccines are what is known as viral vector vaccines.
Both vaccines would appear to deliver the same details of the spike protein of the virus to prime the body’s immune system to fight the real virus.
A Possible Problem With Viral-Vector Vaccines
This is a paragraph from the article on the Conversation, which talks of a problem with viral-vector vaccines.
When a person is given a viral-vector vaccine, as well as generating an immune response against the coronavirus’s spike protein, the immune system will also mount a response against the viral vector itself. This immune response may then destroy some of the booster dose when it is subsequently delivered, before it can have an effect. This has long been recognised as a problem.
It looks like a case of shoot the messenger to me.
The Russian Solution To The Problem
The Russian vaccine appears to get round the problem, by using two different adenoviruses in their two shots. There are fifty adenoviruses that affect humans, so they have a wide choice.
The first shot would only prime the immune system to the spike protein and one adenovirus, which could mean that the second and different adenovirus gets through without being attacked.
Co-Operation Between AstraZeneca And The Russians
This is the last sentence from the article on the Conversation.
This has now led to AstraZeneca testing a new hybrid vaccine schedule, comprising one dose of its vaccine and one of the Ad26-vector Sputnik V, to see if this makes the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine more effective.
I like the thinking behind this idea.
The priming for the immune system gets delivered by two totally unrelated delivery systems.
Conclusion
I wouldn’t be surprised to see this type of hybrid vaccine developed.
Surely, if we need to vaccinate every year against an ongoing Covid-19 threat, eventually, a succession of viral-vectors can be developed to fool the immune system.
The negotiation with the Russians could be tricky.
A New Design For Flow Batteries
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article in phys.org, which documents a development from the Mendeleev University in Russia.
The Russians are claiming they have developed a novel architecture.
DHL Targets 10-day China – Europe Transit Time
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Railway Gazette.
A few points from the article.
- The route is 9,400 km long.
- The train goes through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Lithuania and Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave.
- Entry to the EU is at Braniewo in Poland.
- The current terminals are Xi’an in China and Hamburg and Neuss in Germany.
- Other proposed terminals include Budapest and Milan.
- Estimated transit time is 10-12 days, as opposed to the current 15-plus days.
I’ve actually been to the area around Braniewo, which before the Second World War was partly in Germany. I wrote Railways In North East Poland about my trip, which was mainly to see wildlife.
We also got to see the Russian border.
The tag Poland In Winter shows all the posts from that trip.
Global Oil Storage Close To Being ‘Overwhelmed’
The title of this post is the same as that of this article in The Times.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Ships, pipelines and storage tanks holding surplus oil could be “overwhelmed” within weeks as the coronavirus pandemic causes unprecedented drops in fuel usage, the International Energy Agency warned yesterday.
So what are we going to do?
I can’t see Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia and the United States cutting oil production.
But that is what must happen!
President Putin To Set Up Russian Web Encyclopaedia To Rival ‘Unreliable’ Wikipedia
An article with this title, was published in yesterday’s Times.
The title is a very good summary.
Kremlin Lets Women Drive The Trains
The title of this post is the same as that of an article in The Times on Friday.
This was the first two paragraphs.
For decades, Russian girls who have dreamt of becoming train drivers or mechanics or captaining a ship have been forced to abandon their ambitions.
Laws prohibiting women from physically demanding employment, or jobs that could harm their chances of bearing children, were introduced by the Soviet Union in 1974, and updated by President Putin in 2000.
No wonder Russia a basket case, as they are not making best use of their resources. As do countries like Iran, Iraq and Syria!
Remember, that during the Second World War, the Nazis didn’t let women work in the war effort.
I seem to remember they lost!
Russia: Fire Kills 14 Sailors Aboard Navy Research Submersible
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is yet another major accident involving Russian submarines.
- Kursk submarine disaster
- K-152 Nerpa accident
- Soviet submarine K-19
- Soviet submarine K-129 (1960)
- Russian deep submergence rescue vehicle AS-28
- Russian submarine Ekaterinburg (K-84)
The Russian submarine safety record doesn’t appear to be good.
Doping Bans For 12 Russian Athletes Including 2012 Olympic Champion Ivan Ukhov
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the first two paragraphs.
London 2012 Olympic high jump champion Ivan Ukhov is among 12 Russian track and field athletes banned for doping by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Three years of Ukhov’s results, including the 2012 Olympics, have been disqualified, meaning Britain’s Robert Grabarz could be upgraded to silver.
I grew up in the 1960s, where Russian and East German athletes used every trick in the book to win.
Many clean athletes like the incomparable Kathy Cook, never won the medals they deserved, competing against athletes cheating like mad.
Let’s hope the Russians aren’t returning to the bad old days.
Putin’s Only Aircraft Carrier Out Of Action
The title of this post is the same as that of an article in today’s copy of The Times.
This is the first two paragraphs.
Russia could lose its only aircraft carrier after an accident left a five-metre hole in the flight deck.
Admiral Kuznetsov was in the Arctic for repairs when the floating dock underneath it sank, causing a 70-tonne crane to crash on to the carrier killing one person and injuring two.
Enough said!
The Anonymous Widower 