Brazil set to take part in Oxford virus vaccine trial
SCIENTISTS behind the Oxford coronavirus vaccine hope to know if it works by August and are turning to Brazil to speed up trials, it emerged yesterday.
With infection rates falling in the UK, researchers have been granted permission to recruit thousands of volunteers abroad.
Brazil has become a new epicentre of the pandemic, making it more likely that enough volunteers will become infected to show whether the vaccine is effective.
The expansion comes as drugs giant AstraZeneca, which has partnered with Oxford University to mass produce the jab, revealed it has doubled its manufacturing capacity to make up to two billion doses.
Chief executive Pascal Soriot said: “Probably the biggest issue that we face as vaccine developers is that the disease is declining – we are chasing the disease in many parts of the world.”
Mr Soriot said researchers hoped to know by August whether the vaccine is effective.
Around 1,000 Britons have already been vaccinated in a smaller phase one trial, with results expected soon.
The larger phase three clinical trial will involve 10,000 volunteers in the UK and 30,000 in the US – with a further 2,000 people recruited in Brazil which has now seen more deaths than Italy.
The country reported 1,473 Covid-19 deaths on Thursday, the biggest 24-hour increase in its death toll since the outbreak began.
AstraZeneca announced last month it could manufacture one billion doses and is aiming to make 30 million available for use in the UK by September.
It has now reached an agreement with the Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine maker, to supply another one billion doses for low and middle-income countries.