Ed-1
Shot in the arm: on potential vaccine candidates
Every vaccine candidate that passes a significant hoop is a win for the world at large
Close on the heels of the multinational, Pfizer, announcing promising results from its ongoing phase-3 trial of a potential COVID-19 vaccine, Moderna, the U.S.-based biotechnology firm, has indicated similar news from human trials (again phase 3) of its m-RNA vaccine. An analysis of 95 of the nearly 30,000 volunteers — they are exclusively from the United States — who tested positive, revealed that 90 had only got a placebo and five the double-vaccine shots. This led to the vaccine being declared as ‘94.5% effective’ and well past the U.S. FDA’s requirement that a potential vaccine must be at least 50% effective. Encouragingly, the company also said that 11 volunteers manifested moderate to severe disease and all of them were those who did not get the real vaccine. This is a sign that the vaccine is successful in its primary job of protection though its efficacy at curbing disease transmission is still to be evaluated. The results were announced as a company news release and not in a scientific journal, implying that a review by independent experts is pending.
Moderna’s results, like Pfizer’s, are a boost for a new approach to vaccine design. The m-RNA class of vaccines are a synthetic construction of a piece of genetic machinery that viruses need to replicate. There are twin advantages. No physical part of a virus is introduced, reducing the odds of adverse reactions, and the number of doses can be quickly scaled up as they do not need mammalian cells. The cons are that such vaccines have never been commercially produced and require sub-zero refrigeration facilities, which is a rarity in most of the world. In the case of Moderna, there is more optimism as the company claimed that the vaccine was able to survive for 30 days — and not the supposed seven — in a refrigerator and could last 12 hours at room temperature. Its vaccine is primarily for the U.S. However, this vaccine, unlike Pfizer’s, was developed with support from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and other global alliances. Under this arrangement, member-countries, and this includes India, are in line to get a minimum number of doses, however few, to cover a fraction of their population on priority basis. Moderna says it can ready 20 million doses by the year end. By late next year, this can be ramped up to the billions but by then it is expected that several more vaccines that are in large trials, including those in India, will be available. India does not stand to directly and immediately gain significantly from Moderna. However, every vaccine candidate that passes a significant hoop is a win for the world as it opens the way to new practices and ways of applying science that would have been otherwise implausible in the pre-pandemic world.
significant--महत्वपूर्ण
- a shot in the arm (phrase) – (figuratively) boost, fillip, stimulus, impetus, encouragement; (literally) an injection of drugs.
- potential (adjective) – possible, likely, prospective, probable; developing.
- candidate vaccine or vaccine candidate (noun) – a “potential” vaccine prepared in the research and development (R&D
) centres and it can be used in human clinical trials. - hoop (noun) – ring, band, circle, round (number of tests/trials).घेरा
- at large (phrase) – as a whole, generally, extensively.
- close on the heels of (phrase) – close behind, soon after, immediately after, following closely.
- phase 3 trial (noun) – In phase 3 trial, the vaccine is given to thousands of people to confirm its safety – including rare side effects – and effectiveness. These trials involve a control group which is given a placebo.
- phase 2 trial (noun) – In phase 2 trial, the vaccine is given to hundreds of people so scientists can learn more about its safety and correct dosage.
- phase 1 trial (noun) – In phase 1 trial of clinical testing, the vaccine is given to a small group of people to determine whether it is safe and to learn more about the immune response it provokes.
- human trial (noun) – a type of research that studies new tests and treatments and evaluates their effects on human health outcomes; clinical trial.
- vaccine (noun) – a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease.
- m-RNA technology (noun) – messenger RNA technology; the set of instructions by which cells make all proteins and send them to various parts of the body. mRNA medicines take advantage of normal biological processes to express proteins and create a desired therapeutic effect.
- volunteer (noun) – participant.
- exclusively (adverb) – specially, particularly, only, purposefully.केवल
- reveal (verb) – show, display, exhibit, disclose.
- placebo (noun) – it is an inactive substance (with no therapeutic effect) is given to one group of participants in a clinical trial, while the treatment (usually a drug or vaccine being tested) is given to another group.
- lead to (verb) – cause, result in, bring on, bring about.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (noun) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the government agency responsible for advancing the public health by helping to speed innovations that make medical products more effective, safer, and more affordable and by helping the public get the accurate, science-based information they need to use medical products and foods to maintain and improve their health.
- प्रोत्साहन--Encouragingly
- का मूल्यांकन--evaluated
- manifest (verb) – indicate, show, display, exhibit.प्रकट
- efficacy (noun) – In medicine, the ability of an intervention (for example, a drug or surgery) to produce the desired beneficial effect; effectiveness, efficiency, power.प्रभाव
- curb (verb) – control, contain, restrict, limit.
- journal (noun) – periodical, publication, magazine, newsletter.
- imply (verb) – say indirectly, suggest, indicate.संकेत करना
- synthetic (adjective) – artificial, manufactured, simulated.
- machinery (noun) – system, apparatus, structure.
- replicate (verb) – reproduce.दोहराने
- the odds (noun) – likelihood, probability, chances.
- adverse (adjective) – unfavourable, disadvantageous, bad.प्रतिकूल, विपरीत, विरुद्ध
- dose (noun) – an amount/quantity of something.
- scale up (phrasal verb) – increase (in size or number).
- mammalian (adjective) – relating to a mammal (a group of vertebrate animals and characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young).
- दुर्लभ वस्तु--rarity
- con (noun) – disadvantage.
- sub-zero (adjective) – below zero, below freezing, icy, freezing, bitterly cold, frozen.
- optimism (noun) – hopefulness, hope, confidence, positive attitude, buoyancy.
- primarily (adverb) – basically, especially, particularly.
- unlike (preposition) – different from, dissimilar to, not like, as opposed to, in contrast to.
- coalition (noun) – alliance, union, partnership.गठबंधन
- epidemic (noun) – widespread disease/illness.
- preparedness (noun) – readiness.तत्परता, मुस्तैद
- the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) (noun) – CEPI is a innovative global partnership between public, private, philanthropic, and civil society organisations. They are working together to accelerate the development of vaccines against emerging infectious diseases and enable equitable access to these vaccines for people during outbreaks.
- in line (phrase) – in queue.
- fraction (noun) – a (small) proportion/part/amount of something.
- ramp up (phrasal verb) – increase (in amount or number).
- stand to (phrasal verb) – be in a position, be ready (where one is likely to do something).
- significantly (adverb) – notably, importantly, appreciably.
- open the way (phrase) – pave the way, break ground, break the ice, remove an obstacle to allow advancement; permit, facilitate.
- implausible (adjective) – unlikely, doubtful, improbable.अकल्पनीय, असंभव
- pandemic (noun) – the worldwide spread of a new disease; The illness spreads around the world and typically affects a large number of people across a wide area.
Post a Comment