Oxford University, AstraZeneca’s vaccine trials resumed in UK

NEW DELHI: AZD1222, Oxford University and AstraZeneca’s COVID vaccine candidate, is considered to be one of the first vaccines to successfully clear all trial stages of the vaccine. However, the trials for the vaccine had been recently stopped after one of the volunteers who was part of the trials had reportedly fallen ill. Nonetheless, in a significant development, the trials for the vaccine resumed in the United Kingdom (UK) on Saturday, September 12, following confirmation by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority (MHPRA) of the Government of United Kingdom. AstraZeneca said that the safety review committee has concluded its investigation and recommended the MHPRA that trials in the UK are safe to resume. 

“AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford as the trial sponsor cannot disclose further medical information. All trial investigators and participants will be updated with the relevant information, and this will be disclosed on global clinical registries, according to the clinical trial and regulatory standards,” it added. AstraZeneca is carrying out the clinical trials across several locations, and the trials have entered phase 3 in the UK and the United States of America (USA).

The results of the first phase of the vaccine show an acceptable safety profile and production of increased antibody response to fight the novel coronavirus. “The company will continue to work with health authorities across the world and be guided as to when other clinical trials can resume to provide the vaccine broadly, equitably and at no profit during this pandemic,” AstraZeneca said. 

Meanwhile, the Serum Institute of India (SII) said on Saturday that it would resume trials in India only after the Drugs Controlled General of India (DCGI) grants it permission for the same.