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The Covid vaccine developed in the UK by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca can protect 70.4% of people from getting sick and, surprisingly, up to 90% if a lower first dose is used, results show of the final essay.
The Oxford vaccine is the third to produce efficacy results, after Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna whose vaccines were manufactured using a different technology. Both reported an efficacy of nearly 95% and Pfizer has applied for a license in the US and UK.
While the Oxford results may not look as good right away, the scientists say they are not comparable, because they have included people who get mildly ill and seriously ill, unlike the other two. Its vaccine has great advantages, because it is resistant to the refrigerator, so it is easily transported and used anywhere in the world. It’s also substantially cheaper, around £ 3 per dose rather than over £ 20 for the others.
The UK has reserved 100 million doses of the Oxford vaccine, which is central to its pandemic vaccination plans. Production has already started and 4 million doses have been delivered so far, which cannot be used until the vaccine is licensed.
Importantly, Oxford / AstraZeneca have already shown that the vaccine works as well in older people as in younger groups and is safe. There are early indications that it might also help stop the transmission of the disease.
“Today’s announcement brings us one step closer to when we can use vaccines to end the devastation caused by [Covid-19]Said Professor Sarah Gilbert of the University of Oxford, who has led the research.
“We will continue working to provide detailed information to regulators. It has been a privilege to be part of this multinational effort, which will reap benefits for everyone ”.
The scientists said they couldn’t fully explain why a lower first dose seemed to provide better protection. “We believe that by giving a smaller first dose we are priming the immune system differently, better preparing it to respond,” said Professor Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group and principal investigator of the trial.
“And what we don’t know at this point is whether that difference is in the quality or quantity of the immune response. And that is something we are going to be looking into over the next few weeks. “
Gilbert added: “It could be that by giving a small amount of the vaccine to start with and follow up with a large amount, that is a better way to kick-start the immune system and give us the strongest immune response and the most effective immune response. reply.”
Those who received half the dose and then the full dose four weeks later were in a smaller group of 3,000 people, 90% of whom were protected against Covid. In the largest group, who received two full doses, four weeks apart, the efficacy was 62%. In the US, trials have given only two full doses and the other regimen will now need to be tried.
The interim analysis is based on 131 infections among the participants, half of whom received the vaccine while the rest, in a control group, received an established meningitis vaccine. AstraZeneca is still collecting data, but said it would immediately submit its evidence for emergency approval of the vaccine around the world.
The UK government’s joint committee on vaccination and immunization has published a list of groups of people who will be given priority to receive a Covid-19 vaccine. The list is:
1 All those aged 80 and over and health and social assistance workers.
2 All those 75 years of age or older.
3 All those 70 and over.
4 All those aged 65 or over.
5 Adults under 65 at high risk of severe illness and mortality from Covid-19.
6 Adults under 65 years of age at moderate risk of severe illness and mortality from Covid-19.
7 All those 60 and over.
8 Everyone 55 years of age or older.
9 All those 50 years of age or older.
10 Rest of the population.
“These findings show that we have an effective vaccine that will save many lives,” Pollard said. “Interestingly, 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.”
Speaking to BBC Radio 4 Today, he said: “At this time, there is only a hint in the data that those who got that regimen with more protection, there is a suggestion that it was also able to reduce asymptomatic infection. If that’s correct, we could stop the virus in its tracks and stop human-to-human transmission. “
AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot said: “The efficacy and safety of this vaccine confirm that it will be very effective against Covid-19 and will have an immediate impact on this public health emergency.
“Additionally, the vaccine’s simple supply chain and our nonprofit commitment and commitment to broad, equitable and timely access means it will be affordable and available globally, supplying hundreds of millions of doses with approval.”
The UK’s order for 100 million doses of the Oxford vaccine is enough to vaccinate the majority of the population, and is expected to be rolled out in the coming weeks if the vaccine is approved.
The country also has orders for 40 million doses of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine, which will likely be approved first. He has ordered 5 million of the Moderna vaccine, which will arrive next spring.
Australia ordered 33.8 million doses of the Oxford vaccine.
Coronavirus cases in the UK
UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock called the data “really encouraging news” but said the vaccines must be approved by the Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
“This is really encouraging news about the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, which we have obviously been supporting from the beginning,” he told Sky News. “And I’m really very happy, I really welcome these figures, these data, which show that the vaccine in the correct dose can be up to 90% effective.
“Of course, it is vital that the independent regulator, the MHRA, has to analyze the data, it will have to check to make sure it is effective and safe, of course. But we have orders for 100 million doses and, in case everything goes well, most of the launch will be in the new year. “
He added: “And of course this vaccine, this homegrown vaccine, is also easier to administer than the Pfizer vaccine, because it doesn’t need to be stored at -70. So having two vaccines that seem to be effective, well done, in the 90% range, is very, very good news. “
Boris johnson tweeted: “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 & AstraZeneca, and to everyone who volunteered for the trials. “
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