Oxford University expects positive COVID vaccine news within days
Developers rush to have coronavirus vaccine ready by fall; insight from Fox News medical contributor Dr. Marc Siegel.
The early results of Oxford University and AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine trial showed “robust” immune system responses, according to the pharmaceutical firm.
“COVID-19 vaccine AZD1222 showed robust immune responses in all participants in phase I/II trial,” said AstraZeneca in an emailed statement.
Some 1,077 people took part in the study of AZD1222, which is also known as ChAdOx1 nCoV-19. About half of the participants received the experimental vaccine.
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In the research, scientists said that they found their experimental COVID-19 vaccine produced a dual immune response in people aged 18 to 55. Dr. Adrian Hill, director of the Jenner Institute at Oxford University, said neutralizing antibodies were produced by the vaccine candidate.
In this handout photo released by the University of Oxford a doctor takes blood samples for use in a coronavirus vaccine trial in Oxford, England, Thursday June 25, 2020 - file photo. (John Cairns, University of Oxford via AP)
In addition, the vaccine also causes a reaction in the body's T-cells, which help to fight off the coronavirus.
“We are seeing good immune response in almost everybody,” said Dr. Hill. “What this vaccine does particularly well is trigger both arms of the immune system.”
Reported side effects from the trial include feeling tired, headaches, muscle aches, chills and fever. No serious side effects were noted.
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Further evaluation of the vaccine is being undertaken. “ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 showed an acceptable safety profile, and homologous boosting increased antibody responses,” the researchers wrote, in the study. “These results, together with the induction of both humoral and cellular immune responses, support largescale evaluation of this candidate vaccine in an ongoing phase 3 program.”
The results of the research are published in The Lancet medical journal.
With 296,364 cases and 45,385 deaths, the U.K. is one of the most impacted countries by the coronavirus pandemic, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
Shares of AstraZeneca were slightly lower in early Monday trading, changing hands at $61.02, down 0.15 percent.
INVESTIGATIONAL VACCINE PROTECTS MONKEYS AGAINST COVID-19 PNEUMONIA
A number of efforts to develop a coronavirus vaccine are underway around the world. Scientists at Israel’s Tel Aviv University and biopharmaceutical company Neovii, for example, recently announced a project to develop a COVID-19 vaccine.
Experts involved in the effort say that they are targeting the "Achilles heel" of coronavirus.
As of Monday morning, more than 14.5 million coronavirus cases have been diagnosed worldwide, at least 3.7 million of which are in the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins University. The disease has accounted for at least 606,741 deaths around the world, including at least 140,541 people in the U.S.
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Fox News’ Christopher Carbone and the Associated Press contributed to this article. Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
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