Oxford COVID-19 vaccine developer cautious on 2020 rollout
- by Virginia Carter
- in World Media
- — Nov 28, 2020
Similarly, CanSino Biologics Inc.'s (Tianjin, China) fast-moving COVID-19 vaccine candidate appears to prioritize a two-dose regimen as it seems to have failed to generate a strong response in people with pre-existing immunity to the novel coronavirus used as the vector, with researchers considering the use of a booster shot three to six months after vaccination.
Last week, World Health Organization had said that 75 countries have shown interest in joining its COVAX facility meant to provide global access to a Covid-19 vaccine.
On Monday, the university published its results from the first phase of human trials, which involved more than 1,000 adults in United Kingdom aged between 18 and 55.
He further said that the health agency will not "cut corners" on safety. "Our results demonstrated that two doses of immunisation of ARCoV vaccine have induced high levels of antibodies with broad neutralising capabilities against SARS-CoV-2 in mice", the scientists wrote in the study.
As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases approaches 15 million worldwide, two St. Louis universities have been selected to conduct vaccine trials. The volunteers' blood samples showed that the vaccine had triggered the body to produce both antibodies and killer T-cells to combat the infection.
Professor Hill told Prime Time his team had witnessed a "very strong immune response" among those the vaccine was administered to. SLU's Center for Vaccine Development includes one of only 10 Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Units in the country and has 30 years of experience in testing new vaccines.
In the last six-seven days, a stream of good news on the COVID-19 vaccine front has been pouring in.
A two-shot vaccine will be tougher to distribute widely and put developing nations at a particular disadvantage.
He noted that they were also "encouraged" by the fact the drug drew a response on both sides of the immune system, explaining that "not all that many vaccines do so".
According to the Oxford University, the trial involves more than 1000 healthy adult volunteers.
Researchers designed the experimental vaccine, mRNA-1273, to induce neutralizing antibodies directed at a portion of the coronavirus "spike" protein, which the virus uses to bind to and enter human cells.
Despite the promising findings, it is still too soon to know if this is enough to offer protection and larger trials are under way, scientists involved in this study said.
