Covaxin 65.2% effective against Delta variant, says its maker Bharat Biotech

India's indigenous Covid-19 vaccine "Covaxin" is overall 77.8 percent effective against the virus and offers 65.2 percent protection against the fast-spreading Delta variant, the jab's manufacturer Bharat Biotech said today.

"Efficacy analysis demonstrates Covaxin to be 77.8 percent effective against symptomatic Covid-19, through evaluation of 130 confirmed cases, with 24 observed in the vaccine group versus 106 in the placebo group," the company said in a statement citing data from the third phase of clinical human trials, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

"Covaxin gives 65.2 percent protection against the 'Delta variant'," added the statement.

The data, however, is yet to be peer-reviewed.

"The vaccine is also found to be 93.4 percent effective against severe symptomatic Covid-19," the company said.

Covaxin is a whole virus inactivated vaccine against SARS-CoV2, developed by Bharat Biotech in partnership with the Indian Council of Medical Research and the National Institute of Virology in Pune.