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British drug group AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford said their jointly developed vaccine against Covid-19 has shown “an average efficacy of 70%” in trials.
“The efficacy and safety of this vaccine confirm that it will be highly effective against Covid-19 and will have an immediate impact on this public health emergency,” AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot said in a statement.
The results varied between 62 and 90% efficacy depending on the vaccine dose.
The average of 70% is lower compared to the effectiveness of the coronavirus vaccines tested by rivals Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna, which have exceeded 90%.
Today’s statement said that “high-level positive results from an interim analysis of AZD1222 clinical trials in the UK and Brazil showed the vaccine to be highly effective in preventing Covid-19 … and no hospitalizations or severe cases of the disease in the participants. “
He added: “One dosing regimen (n = 2,741) showed 90% vaccine efficacy when AZD1222 was administered as a half dose, followed by a full dose at least one month apart.”
The couple said that the n = 8,895 regimen showed 62% efficacy when given in two full doses at least one month apart.
“Combined analysis of both dosing regimens (n = 11,636) resulted in an average efficacy of 70%.”
AstraZeneca said it will “immediately prepare for regulatory submission of the data to authorities around the world who have a framework in place for advance or conditional approval.”
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He added that he would seek the World Health Organization’s emergency use list to accelerate the availability of vaccines in low-income countries.
AstraZeneca said it is seeking a capacity of up to three billion doses of the vaccine in 2021 pending regulatory approval.
He said the vaccine can be stored, transported and handled “under normal refrigeration conditions” between 2 and 8 ° C (36-46 ° F) for at least six months.
Currently, more than 23,000 adults are being evaluated in the trials, with the number expected to rise to 60,000, according to the statement.
“Clinical trials are also underway in the United States, Japan, Russia, South Africa, Kenya and Latin America with trials planned in other European and Asian countries,” he added.
Oxford professor Andrew Pollard said the latest findings show “an effective vaccine that will save many lives.”
“It is exciting, we have found that one of our dosing regimens can be around 90% effective and if this dosing regimen is used, more people could be vaccinated with the planned vaccine supply.
“Today’s announcement is only made possible by the many volunteers in our trial and the talented and hardworking team of researchers from around the world,” added Professor Pollard.
His colleague, Professor Sarah Gilbert, a professor of vaccination at Oxford University, said: “Today’s announcement brings us one step closer to when we can use vaccines to end the devastation caused by SARS-CoV-2. .
“We will continue to work to provide detailed information to regulators. It has been a privilege to be part of this multinational effort that will reap benefits for everyone.”
AstraZeneca Executive Vice President Mene Panglos has said immunizations could begin next month if regulators give the green light to the new vaccine.
“We are very excited because what the data has shown us is that the vaccine is clearly effective in terms of reducing infections, it is clearly effective in terms of reducing people getting sick and going to the hospital, it is potentially reducing transmission, and I think it has every chance of being a very successful and very effective vaccine that can bring us back to normal, “he told BBC Radio 4 Today.
“One of the real benefits of this vaccine is the fact that we can manufacture it on a large scale. It is a relatively easy vaccine to distribute around the world.
“I hope that if the regulators find the vaccine safe and effective, which I hope it is, we can start immunizing people in December.”
The UK has placed orders for 100 million doses of the Oxford vaccine, enough to vaccinate the majority of the population, and it is expected to be rolled out in the next few weeks if the vaccine is approved.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson described the news as “incredibly exciting”.
Incredibly exciting news that the Oxford vaccine has been shown to be so effective in trials. There are still more security checks ahead, but these are fantastic results.
Congratulations to our brilliant scientists at @UniofOxford Y @AstraZeneca, and everyone who volunteered for the trials. https://t.co/84o8TKhQga
– Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) November 23, 2020
Health Minister Matt Hancock said manufacturing of the AstraZeneca vaccine and the University of Oxford had already started in anticipation of positive results.
When asked if the plan was to start vaccinating before Christmas, he told BBC Breakfast: “That’s right, the NHS is on standby to be ready as soon as it can be manufactured.
“The vaccine manufacturing process is also difficult, it is not a chemical that is manufactured, it is a biological compound, a biological product, so of course, it must be manufactured.”
“That manufacturing has already started in anticipation of these results being positive.
“The NHS is ready to start distributing the vaccine from next month. It is going to be a big effort, I think everyone knows, but the NHS will be ready.”
Scientists have welcomed the news of the Oxford / AstraZeneca Covid vaccine trial.
Peter Horby, professor of emerging infectious diseases and global health at the University of Oxford, tweeted: “Oxford jab is much cheaper, and it is easier to store and reach all corners of the world than the other two.”
Dr Michael Tildesley, Associate Professor of Infectious Disease Modeling at the University of Warwick, said: “This is absolutely excellent news about the Oxford vaccine because this is really the vaccine that the government has pinned a lot of hopes on. Resource terms. I have ordered 100 million doses of the Oxford vaccine. “
Meanwhile, speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Dr. Anne Moore, a senior professor of biochemistry at UCC who has worked as an immunologist at the University of Oxford, says that AstraZenica will now seek regulatory approval for its vaccine to be used under emergency use authorization.
However, he cautioned that it is important to see the safety and immunity data, and the key question is: “How long does the protection last?”
Dr. Moore said that the elderly have had a good response to the AstraZenica Covid vaccine, which is very good news.
Also, he said, this vaccine does not have to be kept in temperatures below minus 80 degrees and has been produced not for profit, which means it will be sold to low- and middle-income countries at cost.
Additional reports Reuters, PA
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