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The University of Oxford is expected to release data on the effectiveness of its coronavirus vaccine in the coming weeks, and the latest trial results suggest that it produces a strong immune response in older adults.
The ChAdOx1 nCov-2019 vaccine has been shown to trigger a robust immune response in healthy adults aged 56 to 69 years and in people older than 70 years.
Phase two data, published in The Lancet, suggests that one of the groups most vulnerable to serious illness and death from Covid-19 could develop immunity, the researchers say.
According to the researchers, the trial volunteers demonstrated similar immune responses in all three age groups (18-55, 56-69, and 70 years or older).
The study of 560 healthy adults, including 240 over the age of 70, found that the vaccine is better tolerated in older people compared to younger adults.
Volunteers received two doses of the candidate vaccine or a placebo meningitis vaccine.
No serious adverse health events related to the vaccine were observed in the participants.
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The results are consistent with phase one data reported for healthy adults 18 to 55 years old earlier this year.
Lead study author Professor Andrew Pollard of Oxford University said: “Immune responses to vaccines often decline in older adults because the immune system gradually deteriorates with age, which also leaves older adults more susceptible to infections.
“As a result, it is crucial that Covid-19 vaccines are tested in this group which is also a priority group for immunization.”
The researchers say their findings are promising, as they show that older people are showing an immune response similar to that of younger adults.
The study also found that the vaccine, developed with AstraZeneca, was less likely to cause local reactions at the injection site and symptoms on the day of vaccination in older adults than in the younger group.
Adverse reactions were mild (injection site pain and tenderness, fatigue, headache, fever, and muscle pain) but more common than those seen with the control vaccine.
Thirteen serious adverse events occurred in the six months from the first dose, none of which were related to any of the study vaccines.
The authors note some limitations of their study, including the fact that participants in the older age group had an average age of 73 to 74 years and few underlying health conditions, so they may not be representative of the older population generally, including those who live in residences. environments or over 80 years.
Phase three trials of the vaccine are ongoing, with early efficacy readings possible in the coming weeks.
UK authorities have placed orders for 100 million doses of the vaccine, enough to vaccinate the majority of the population, should it receive regulatory approval.
The Oxford findings come after Pfizer and BioNTech announced that their vaccine candidate has shown 95% efficacy, with 94% efficacy in people 65 and older.
The UK has bought 40 million doses of that vaccine, and the rollout could begin in early December if regulators give the vaccine the green light.
Earlier in the week, the American biotech firm Moderna released data suggesting that its vaccine is nearly 95% effective.
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