AstraZeneca has reported that it has obtained ‘good data so far’ on its Covid-19 vaccine candidate, which was licensed from the University of Oxford and is currently in large-scale clinical studies.
The potential vaccine has entered its final trial in Brazil, with studies ongoing in the UK and South Africa.
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On a media call, AstraZeneca chief executive Pascal Soriot said: “The vaccine development is progressing well. We have had good data so far. We need to show the efficacy in the clinical programme, but so far, so good.”
In the Phase I/II COV001 trial conducted in the UK, the vaccine was tolerated and generated strong immune responses in all evaluated participants. Findings were published in The Lancet journal.
Study results showed that a single dose of the vaccine led to a four-fold increase in antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in 95% of participants one month following vaccination.
Furthermore, a T-cell response that peaked by day 14 and maintained two months after injection was observed in all subjects.
AstraZeneca forged deals with multiple countries to produce more than two billion doses of the investigational Covid-19 vaccine and hopes to secure approval by the end of this year.
The company signed agreements with the UK, US, European Union, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
In addition, it reached a licensing agreement with Serum Institute of India to supply low and middle income countries, along with agreements with R-Pharm in Russia and SK Biopharmaceuticals in the Republic of Korea.
Serum Institute of India filed an application with the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to study the Covid-19 vaccine candidate in Phase II and III trials.
AstraZeneca committed to not profit from the Covid-19 vaccine during the pandemic.
