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A Review of Current COVID-19 Vaccine Phase III and Emergency Use Authorization Candidates Ashley Atkinson, 3rd year |
Abstract
As the pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 continues into 2021, it is important to analyze available data for promising vaccine candidates. The purpose of this review is to summarize vaccine types and gather and evaluate public data regarding the safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity of twenty different COVID-19 vaccines in phase III trials as well as those authorized for emergency use.
Searches were conducted using a combination of online databases including PubMed, Medrxiv, Biorxiv, NIH, and vaccine company websites. Among the vaccines reviewed, the mRNA-based vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna) had promising safety profiles and demonstrated effectiveness against COVID-19. However, it is still unknown if those who are vaccinated can spread the virus. Multiple viral vector-based vaccines, such as Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine, are promising candidates with efficacy after the first dose. Although Moderna’s, Pfizer-BioNTech’s, and Johnson & Johnson’s products are the only vaccines that have gained FDA emergency approval to date, other vaccines are also expected to be extremely effective against COVID-19. Further studies are needed to establish long term results of vaccine efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 infection and efficacy against variants of SARS-CoV-2. The COVID-19 pandemic called on scientists everywhere to expeditiously develop safe and effective vaccines, a call answered by unprecedented scientific achievement.