LONDON (REUTERS): Scientists at Oxford University have claimed that their experimental vaccine has produced an immune response in early-stage clinical trials against coronavirus.
According to trial results published in The Lancet medical journal, the vaccine, called AZD1222 being developed by AstraZeneca and scientists at Oxford University, did not prompt any serious side effects and elicited antibody and T-cell immune responses.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has hailed the results as very positive news. However, the researchers cautioned the project was still at an early stage.
Vaccine developer Sarah Gilbert said, “There is still much work to be done before we can confirm if our vaccine will help manage the COVID-19 pandemic. We still do not know how strong an immune response we need to provoke to effectively protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection.”
In the research, scientists have informed that they have found their experimental COVID-19 vaccine produced a dual immune response in people aged 18 to 55 that lasted at least two months after they were immunised. “We are seeing good immune response in almost everybody,” said Dr Adrian Hill, director of the Jenner Institute at Oxford University.
The World Health Organization’s chief scientist has described the vaccine, AZD1222, as the leading candidate in a global race to halt a pandemic. More than 150 possible vaccines are in various stages of development. United States drugmaker Pfizer and China’s CanSino Biologics also reported positive responses for their candidates.
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