AstraZeneca says it will likely do another COVID-19 vaccine study after accidental lower dose shows greater effectiveness – Heaven32

AstraZeneca says it will likely do another COVID-19 vaccine study after accidental lower dose shows greater effectiveness – Heaven32

AstraZeneca CEO said Bloomberg that the drug company will likely conduct another global trial on the effectiveness of its COVID-19 vaccine trial, after the disclosure that the most effective dose from the existing Phase 3 clinical trial was indeed administered by accident. AstraZeneca and its partner, University of Oxford, reported interim results showing 62% efficacy for a full two-dose regimen and a 90% efficacy rate for a half dose followed by a full dose , which the scientists who developed the drug then recognized that it was in fact just an accidental administration of what was supposed to be two full doses.

To be clear, this shouldn’t stop anyone from being optimistic about the Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine. The results are still very promising and further testing is underway to ensure that what has been seen as the result of the accidental average dose is indeed confirmed when the vaccine is administered in this express manner. That said, this could extend the time it takes for the Oxford vaccine to be approved in the United States, as it will take place before a planned U.S. trial that would be required for the FDA to approve it. for your national use.

The l aunch of the Oxford vaccine to the rest of the world is unlikely to be affected, according to the CEO of AstraZeneca, as the studies that have been carried out, including the safety data, are already underway with participants all over the world outside. from the United States.

While the vaccine candidates from Moderna and Pfizer They also showed very high efficacy on the early data from Phase 3, hopes are high on the AstraZeneca version as it is based on a different technology, can be stored and transported at standard refrigerator temperatures rather than frozen, and costs just a fraction per dose compared to the other two major vaccines in development.

This makes it an extremely valuable resource for global immunization programs, including distribution, where costs and transport infrastructure are the primary concerns.