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The decision to suspend the Oxford trials was made after a volunteer reportedly began to suffer from neurological symptoms associated with a rare spinal inflammatory disorder called transverse myelitis. In a statement yesterday, the University of Oxford said: “Ongoing randomized controlled clinical trials of the Oxford coronavirus vaccine will resume at all UK clinical trial sites.
“Worldwide, about 18,000 people have received the study vaccines as part of the trial. In large trials like this one, some participants are expected to feel unwell and each case must be carefully evaluated to ensure a careful safety assessment.”
The safety data has been reviewed, he said, adding: “Following the recommendations of both the independent safety review committee and the UK regulator, the MHRA, trials will resume in the UK.”
Health Secretary Matt Hancock welcomed the reboot. He tweeted: “Good news everyone, the Oxford vaccine trials are back on track. This hiatus shows that we will always put safety first. We will support our scientists to deliver an effective vaccine as soon as possible.”
Meanwhile, scientists at Imperial College London are working on a separate clinical trial of an experimental vaccine plan to increase the dose in patients.
They say their initial findings show that it is “well tolerated.”
Provided approval is given, the researchers want to recruit 76 new volunteers to receive higher-dose injections with results available within two months.
Unlike many vaccines, Imperial is completely synthetic and uses the genetic instructions of the pointed protein on the surface of the virus.
When injected into the arm, it signals muscle cells to make copies of the protein to elicit an immune response.
In a letter sent to the 300 participants in the COVAC1 trial, the researchers wrote: “The few initial results that we have now worry us that the immune response is not as strong as expected. Therefore, we must explore the possibility of using higher doses. “
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