Last updated on 06 May 2021.

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted numerous research institutes and companies to develop vaccine candidates targeting this novel disease.

First launched in April 2020, this tracker was developed by the Vaccine Centre at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine to follow candidates as they progress through the development pipeline. Read our Correspondence in Lancet Global Health for further details.

All data and code are available via the LSHTM Vaccine Centre's Github page.

Citation details: Shrotri, Swinnen, Kampmann, Parker (2021). An interactive website tracking COVID-19 vaccine development. Lancet Glob Health; epub ahead of print.


Vaccine landscape

Summary of vaccine candidates and trial timelines


Clinical trials database

Key attributes of registered COVID-19 vaccine trials


Efficacy trial map

Map of planned and ongoing phase III trials


Living review

Published data on safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy


Implementation

Summary of vaccine distribution information


FAQs

More on the vaccine development process









317

vaccine candidates

93

in clinical testing











Colour code for vaccine type
RNA
DNA
Vector (non-replicating)
Vector (replicating)
Inactivated
Live-attenuated
Protein subunit
Virus-like particle
Other/Unknown
Last updated on 04 May 2021.

We currently update the vaccine landscape weekly, pooling the latest information from the WHO, the Milken Institute and clinicaltrials.gov. We are also grateful for additional information provided directly by vaccine developers.

All data and code are available via the LSHTM Vaccine Centre's Github page. Click on trial numbers and publication IDs to access the published protocols and papers.

If you have any queries or wish to inform us of a candidate that is not included, please contact vaccines@lshtm.ac.uk.

Candidates listed above as being in phase III include several undergoing combined phase II/III trials.
Last updated on 04 May 2021.

Each week, we search clinicaltrials.gov for studies of COVID-19 vaccine candidates and extract key attributes from the registered protocols. Additional trials are identified using the WHO COVID-19 vaccine landscape. Trials are listed by decreasing size. Only trials with a registered protocol are included.



Abbreviations:

aAPC: artificial antigen presenting cell; AZLB: Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical; BIBP: Beijing Institute of Biological Products; BWBP: Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy; CAMS: Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; CIGB: Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology; FBRI SRC VB: Federal Budgetary Research Institution State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology; KBP: Kentucky BioProcessing; LV-SMENP-DC: vaccine comprising dendritic cells (DCs) modified with lentivirus (LV) vectors expressing 'SMENP' minigene; NVSI: National Vaccine and Serum Institute; ODIR: Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research; PLA-AMS: People's Liberation Army Academy of Military Science; SGMI: Shenzhen Geno-Immune Medical Institute; STRC: Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey; WIBP: Wuhan Institute of Biological Products.


Download data

Phase III trials with N >1000 included.
Protocol:
Target N (total):
N doses:
Status:
Start date:

Case counts (rolling 7-day average):
Source for case counts
Developer(s):

Vaccine:

Platform:

Phase:

Number(s):

Location(s):

Primary report:

Publication date:


Last updated on 04 May 2021.

Approach

This living review summarises the available clinical trial data on different COVID-19 vaccine candidates. Since 24 August 2020, we have performed a weekly search of medRxiv and PubMed (see Search log below) using the R packages medrxivr and easyPubMed. Titles and abstracts are screened to identify articles reporting outcome data from human clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccine candidates. Additional preprints are identified using the WHO COVID-19 vaccine landscape.

Search term

"(coronavirus OR COVID OR SARS*) AND vaccin* AND (trial OR phase)"

Data extraction

We extract data on the following study attributes:
  • Design: location, number and age of individuals enrolled, vaccine dose, etc.
  • Safety profile: serious adverse events as well as non-serious adverse events with ≥25% prevalence in one or more study groups.
  • Immunogenicity: pre- and post-vaccination levels of antigen-specific IgG (ELISA), neutralising antibody levels against live SARS-CoV-2 and/or pseudoviruses, and/or T-cell responses. We present antibody and T-cell outcomes 28 days post-vaccination or the nearest available timepoint.
  • Efficacy: protective efficacy against COVID-19, severe COVID-19, and/or asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. Where available, we present the profile (age, ethnicity, and comorbidity prevalence) of the study population, as well as vaccine efficacy estimates stratified by relevant covariates (dose regimen, age group, ethnicity, and presence of comorbidities).
  • Planned next steps for clinical testing and/or manufacture. See Implementation tab for additional details.
Data extraction is performed for all peer-reviewed manuscripts. Links are provided to all preprints.

Eligible studies

Total number of studies included: 51

Abbreviations:

AZLB: Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical; BIBP: Beijing Institute of Biological Products; CAMS: Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; WIBP: Wuhan Institute of Biological Products.

Notes:

Phase I and phase II data extracted separately for WIBP inactivated vaccine (Xia; JAMA 2020), BBIBP-CorV (Xia; Lancet Infect Dis 2020), Sinovac CoronaVac (Zhang; Lancet Infect Dis 2020), and AZLB ZF2001 (Yang; Lancet Infect Dis 2021).


Search log




Description of vaccine


Trial attributes


Vaccine efficacy

We present protective efficacy against symptomatic COVID-19, severe COVID-19, and/or asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection.








Safety profile

We present data on any serious adverse events (potentially life-threatening: requires assessment in A&E or hospitalisation) and common adverse events (≥25% prevalence in one or more study groups) relating to the test vaccine.

Serious adverse events:

Common adverse events (local):

Common adverse events (systemic):


Antibody response

We present antibody levels measured 28 days post-vaccination or the nearest available timepoint. Where multiple types of antibody were measured, we prioritise (i) antigen-specific ELISA (IgG); (ii) neutralisation of live SARS-CoV-2; and (iii) neutralisation of a pseudovirus modified to express SARS-CoV-2 antigens.



T cell response



Subgroup analysis



Next steps



Last updated on 06 May 2021.

Equity of vaccine roll-out

Vaccines against COVID-19 are now being rolled out across the globe. However, we are falling considerably short of achieving equitable global distribution. In the plot below, each circle represents a country, with circle size corresponding to population size. Hover over the circles for additional details.

- million doses of vaccine given worldwide

Source for vaccine roll-out data: Our World in Data. Source for income data: Gapminder. Source for income group data: World Bank.

Testing and implementation status of front-running candidates



Abbreviations: AZLB, Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical; nr, non-replicating; RIBSP, Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems; VLP, virus-like particle. Candidates in phase III testing and/or widespread use are included. Source for N countries reporting use: Our World in Data.

Side-by-side comparison of front-running candidates


Vaccines in widespread use are included.

What is a clinical trial?

Clinical trials are research studies that are used to determine if a new vaccine is safe and effective. In our animated video on clinical trials below, we describe the four phases of vaccine clinical trials and the steps it takes to license a vaccine.
  • Phase I is an initial trial with a small group of healthy volunteers and usually takes a few months.
  • Phase II examines consistency of the vaccine, any potential side effects and the presence of immune response expected. This phase can last several months.
  • Phase III gathers robust data on safety and efficacy and can last several years as it usually involves thousands of volunteers.
  • Phase IV occurs after the vaccine is licenced and used in the public. This phase continues for as long as the vaccine is being used in the community and monitors the vaccine’s benefits and any side effects.


What's in a vaccine?

Each ingredient in every vaccine is present for a very specific purpose and our animated video on vaccines below explores what goes into a vaccine and why.

The main ingredient in any vaccine is the antigen, which is a small part of the virus or bacterium being targeted. The antigen is the ingredient in the vaccine that challenges our immune system to generate the right defences. Some vaccines add an adjuvant to the antigen to help strengthen and lengthen your body’s immune response. Stabilisers are used to help the active ingredients to remain effective while the vaccine is made, stored, and moved. Antibiotics and preservatives are sometimes used in the manufacturing process of some vaccines however these elements aren’t in the final vaccine. The patient information leaflet that comes with every vaccine tells you exactly what was used in making the vaccine, what is still in it and how much is in the final product.


How do we know that vaccines are safe?

How safe are vaccines? How do we know that vaccines are safe? Our animated video on vaccine safety below explores the safety measures in place throughout the entire vaccine development process, from the four clinical trial phases and through to the use of vaccines in the community.


What are the different types of vaccine?

All vaccines expose our immune system to antigens from a specific pathogen, but they do this in a variety of ways. A summary of the key vaccine types being developed for COVID-19 is provided in the table below.

For more information, please visit the Vaccine Centre's full FAQs page.