COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford shows promising results, Phase 3 trials underway

In what might be a major breakthrough in the battle against the novel Coronavirus, Oxford scientists have stated that early trials of the potential vaccine have shown promising results. The potential vaccine named - ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine - has been developed by Oxford in partnership with English drugmakers AstraZeneca. In a preliminary report published in notable Lancet Journal, scientists have stated that during the randomised trials, individuals which received a shot of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine showed 'no adverse effects' and a single dose elicits an increase in spike-specific antibodies by day 28. 

"ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 was safe, tolerated, and immunogenic, while reactogenicity was reduced with paracetamol. A single dose elicited both humoral and cellular responses against SARS-CoV-2, with a booster immunisation augmenting neutralising antibody titres. The preliminary results of this first-in-human clinical trial supported clinical development progression into ongoing phase 2 and 3 trials," the study published in Lancet read. 

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'Phase 3 trials underway'

However, it also highlighted that the small number of participants might be a limitation for the student. Nevertheless, it informed that the developers are now recruiting older age groups with comorbidities, health-care workers, and those with a higher risk for SARS-CoV-2 exposure to further assess the potential vaccine. "We will also evaluate the vaccine in children, once sufficient safety data have been accumulated in adult studies. Phase 3 trials are now underway in Brazil, South Africa, and the UK and will evaluate vaccine efficacy in diverse populations," the study concluded.

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Responding to the results shown, Dr Adrian Hill, director of the Jenner Institute at Oxford University while speaking to AP stated that the vaccine triggers 'both arms of the immune system.' He also informed that the immune response might be boosted after a second dose of the vaccine and cautioned that even 2 billion doses may not be enough to battle the pandemic. Numerous countries including Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, U.S. and the U.K. have all signed deals to receive hundreds of millions of doses of the vaccine, which has not yet been licensed.

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