COVID VACCINE BREAKTHROUGH
Jab is safe and fights disease
AN Oxford University coronavirus vaccine has passed a key milestone after producing a powerful immune response to the disease.
Trials involving more than 1,000 people found the jab was safe and able to fight the virus.
The vaccine triggered production of both antibodies and T-cells in participants.
This means it should train the immune system to both attack the invading virus and seek and destroy infected cells.
There were no serious side effects and the response may be even stronger when two doses are used, the tests found.
Oxford University chief investigator Professor Andrew Pollard said the results were “very encouraging”.
He said: “What they show is a really important milestone on the path for development of the vaccine.
“We have first of all a vaccine which is very well tolerated by more than 1,000 volunteers in the trial.
And then we’re seeing good immune responses – exactly the sort of immune responses we were hoping for
– including neutralising antibodies and T-cell responses, which from what we have seen in the animal studies seem to be those that are associated with protection.
“We’re now moving rapidly forwards to try to evaluate whether the vaccine actually protects the population by conducting large scale trials.”
It comes as officials revealed yesterday that Britain has secured early access to 90 million possible Covid-19 vaccine
doses through partnerships with pharmaceutical companies.
Oxford’s ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine is now believed to be the world’s best hope of a jab ready by the end of the year.
The news was greeted with much praise from politicians.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: “This is very positive news. A huge well done to our brilliant, world-leading scientists and researchers at Oxford University.
“There are no guarantees, we’re not there yet and further trials will be necessary – but this is an important step in the right direction.”
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “A safe and effective vaccine is our best hope of defeating coronavirus and returning to life as normal. We have some of our best scientists and researchers working on this, but members of the public have a vital role to play too.
“So I urge everyone who can to back the national effort and sign up to the NHS Covid-19 vaccine research registry.”
Professor Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer, said: “Thanks to Covid-19 patients’
willingness to take part in treatment studies, we’ve been able to identify treatments that work and ones that don’t, which has improved patient care worldwide.
“Now that there are several promising vaccines on the horizon, we need to call again on the generosity of the public to help find out which potential vaccines are the most effective.” The Oxford breakthrough came as a further six coronavirus deaths were reported in English hospitals yesterday.
The university trial involved 1,077 adults aged 18 to 55, half of whom received the vaccine while the rest received a meningitis jab.
The coronavirus vaccine provoked a T-cell response within 14 days of vaccination, triggering production of white blood cells that can attack infected cells. It also sparked production of neutralising antibodies within 28 days. The Oxford team has partnered with drugs firm AstraZeneca to produce the vaccine.
The study, published in the Lancet medical journal, came after the Government announced it had struck deals for 90 million doses of other Covid-19 vaccines.
Included are 30 million doses of a vaccine being developed by BioNTech and Pfizer, the first agreement the firms have signed with any government.
Business Secretary Alok Sharma said the agreements would “ensure the UK has the best chance possible of securing a vaccine that protects those most at risk”.
Other academic groups are also working on treatments, including a team at Southampton University.