An experimental coronavirus vaccine is safe and creates a strong immune response, according to a study published in a major medical journal Monday.
The vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca produced a promising immune response that lasted for nearly two months in an early trial involving more than one thousand healthy adults, researchers reported in the Lancet.
The response was even stronger in 10 participants who received a second dose, the scientists said.
An alliance of four European countries — Germany, France, the Netherlands and Italy — have already penned a deal with AstraZeneca for 400 million doses of the vaccine. The company has also agreed an advance purchase deal with the U.K. totaling 100 million initial doses.
This is in addition to a $1.2 billion deal to provide the U.S. with 300 million initial doses of the shot this fall.
British researchers began the first human trials of the vaccine in April. The Oxford study combines the initial Phase I safety trials with Phase II trials that examine both safety and the strength of any immune response. The results show that the vaccine induced not only a strong antibody response but also the production of immune cells called T cells. Scientists say both can be vital to a durable vaccine.
“There is still much work to be done before we can confirm if our vaccine will help manage the COVID-19 pandemic, but these early results hold promise,” said Sarah Gilbert, one of Oxfords lead researchers on the study, in a statement. “As well as continuing to test our vaccine in phase 3 trials, we need to learn more about the virus — for example, we still do not know how strong an immune resRead More – Source
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