AstraZeneca reports success with its COVID-19 vaccine trial

AstraZeneca reported a 90 percent efficacy in preliminary trial results in the United Kingdom and Brazil for a candidate vaccine to prevent COVID-19, when administered in an initial, half dose followed by a full dose a month afterward.

A tandem study of patients who received two full doses showed just a 62 percent efficacy rate, but with no patients requiring hospitalization as a result of a severe case of COVID-19. AstraZeneca reported protection from COVID-19 kicks in two weeks after the second dose.

AstraZeneca is co-developing the vaccine with the University of Oxford and spinout Vaccitech, with plans to seek approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to distribute the vaccine in the United States. Some 23,000 adults globally are participating in the vaccine trials on which AstraZeneca reported preliminary results on Monday. Trials are continuing for another 60,000 people in the United States and other parts of the globe.

AstraZeneca is projecting manufacturing capacity next year to produce three billion doses, sufficient for 1.5 billion people. The vaccine can be stored in standard refrigerators.

“The vaccine’s simple supply chain and our no-profit pledge and commitment to broad, equitable and timely access means it will be affordable and globally available, supplying hundreds of millions of doses on approval,” CEO Pascal Soriot was quoted saying in a press release.

Pfizer and BioNTech filed last week for FDA approval of a vaccine that demonstrated 95 percent effectiveness in early clinical trial results, with no significant side effects save for headaches or fatigue in a small percentage of trial participants. The Pfizer-BioN

Tech vaccine must be kept frozen at temperatures nearing 100 degrees Fahrenheit below zero.

Moderna reported similar effectiveness for its vaccine candidate, with the company on the cusp of seeking FDA approval.

A COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Group is formulating a plan for Gov. Ned Lamont to consider in

distribution of vaccines in Connecticut. On Sunday, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., called on Congress to approve $ 8.4 billion in funding for distribution of vaccines nationally.

Separately Sunday, the office of U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., reported the congressman has contracted COVID-19. Courtney’s

district spans eastern Connecticut.

AstraZeneca’s AZD1222 uses what the company describes as “a replication-deficient chimpanzee viral vector based on a weakened version of a common cold virus ... that causes infections in chimpanzees and contains the genetic material of the SARS-CoV-2 virus

spike protein.” After vaccination, the spike protein is produced to prime the immune system to attack the SARS-CoV-2 virus if it later infects the body.

Includes prior reporting by Josh LaBella.

Getty Images A laboratory technician supervises capped vials during filling and packaging tests for the large-scale production and supply of the University of Oxfords COVID-19 vaccine candidate on Sept. 11 at the Italian biologics manufacturing facility of multinational corporation Catalent. AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford on Monday said their jointly-developed vaccine against COVID-19 has shown “an average efficacy of 70 percent” in trials. The results ranged between 62 and 90 percent efficacy depending on the vaccine dosage.