Ocugen shares surged 17% in premarket trading.
Ocugen(NASDAQ:OCGN)announced that a booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine candidate it plans to commercialize in the U.S. generated overa 10-fold increase in antibody levels across a range of coronavirus variants.
Disclosing the Phase 2 data posted by its partner Bharat Biotech for Covaxin, Malvern, Pennsylvania-based biotech said that the studies on its effectiveness against the Omicron variant are currently ongoing, and the results would be reported shortly.
In the analysis of those aged 12 – 64 years who received the additional dose six months after the second dose, the wild-type neutralizing antibodies (PRNT50) GMTs rose in a month from the second dose. The antibody levels were detectable in more than 75% of all subjects even after six months from the second dose.
However, from a baseline at six months from the second dose, GMTs against Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Delta plus variants jumped 10·9, 161·0, 264·7, and 174·2 fold, respectively, a month after the booster.
The data on the booster shot indicated no serious adverse events, including hospitalization ordeath, the company added.The study results are yet to undergo peer review.