The Covid-19 vaccine, developed jointly by the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, has been shown to be more effective than before. For this reason, further research is now needed. However, the findings did not prevent the British government from asking the regulator to evaluate the vaccine.
IN SHORT:
- AstraZeneca has completed the third phase of clinical trials of the Covid-19 vaccine.
- Vaccine efficacy has been reported at 70%.
- The British government has asked the regulator to approve the vaccine.
- However, 90% efficiency has now been achieved and further research is needed.
- 90% efficacy is given by 1/2 dose and at least a month later by a whole dose.
- AstraZeneca: Additional tests will not affect the approval process.
- However, some experts point out that this may delay the approval process.
AstraZeneca has completed the third phase of clinical trials of the vaccine, which is the final stage before approval. Under British regulations, the government must also seek approval from the Independent Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, and this has been done.
“We do not have a vaccine yet, but we are one step closer. There are still several steps to be taken, “said Matthew Hockock, the British Minister for Health.
AstraZeneca has shown greater effectiveness; further research is neededRihards Plūme00:00 / 03:19
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“Comprehensive safety data is not yet available and our strong and independent regulator will not approve the vaccine until it is safe. If this or any other vaccine is approved, we will be ready to start a large-scale vaccination program, “the Minister said.
Britain has provided itself with access to 100 million doses of this vaccine. The Ministry of Health expects that four million of these doses will be ready by the end of the year, and 40 million by the end of March 2021.
However, AstraZeneca has released new data showing that the vaccine is more effective than before. The Covid-19 vaccine, jointly developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, has been an average of 70.4% effective in clinical trials. But now the efficiency is 90%.
This effectiveness was achieved with half the dose and at least a month later with a full dose. Efficacy was shown to be 62% in patients who received two full doses.
Researchers in the United States have indicated that the highest efficacy was achieved in tests performed on people under the age of 55, and this was found in random clinical trials.
AstraZeneca explains that further research is now needed as the highest efficiencies need to be confirmed and the reasons for the differences understood.
“We will now look in detail at why we have achieved greater efficacy with half the dose and the full dose, rather than with the two full doses we have tried so far. What we always try to achieve with a vaccine is to fool the immune system into having a dangerous infection that needs to be responded to safely. So we get an immune response and an immune memory, and it’s ready to act when needed. It may be that administering a low dose of the vaccine followed by a higher dose is a better way to trigger the immune system and achieve stronger and more effective immunity. But we still have work to do, ”said Sarah Gilbert, a professor at Oxford University who is working on the vaccine.
AstraZeneca emphasizes that the additional inspections will not affect the approval process.
However, some experts point out that new and different data could still affect the approval process, ie delay it.
CONTEXT:
Three Covid-19 vaccine developers are currently trying to get their vaccines approved for use in December. „Pfizer” a „BioNTech”, “Modern”, as well as „AstraZeneca” and Oxford University.
The European Union has already concluded agreements with companies “Modern”, “Pfizer” a “BioNTech”, AstraZeneca, Sanofi-GSK, Janssen Pharmaceutica and CureVac for the purchase of their Covid-19 vaccines when available.
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