A leading scientist behind the University of Oxford’s potential coronavirus vaccine said on Wednesday the team has seen the right sort of immune response in trials but declined to give a firm timeframe for when it could be ready.
“WE ARE SEEING RIGHT SORT OF RESPONSE”
Speaking at a parliamentary hearing, Sarah Gilbert, professor of vaccinology at the university, said 8,000 volunteers had been enrolled for the Phase III of its trial into the vaccine, AZD1222, which was licensed to AstraZeneca.
“We’re very happy that we’re seeing the right sort of immune response that will give protection, and not the wrong sort,” Gilbert said.
The project has started Phase III of the human trials to assess how the vaccine works in a large number of people over the age of 18, and how well the vaccine works to prevent people from becoming infected and unwell with coronavirus.
The race is on to develop a working coronavirus vaccine, with fears that the pandemic could re-intensify towards the end of the year, in the northern hemisphere’s winter season.
Gilbert said she hoped that her Oxford vaccine would make progress earlier, but was not more specific as she said the timeline for when the vaccine might be ready depends on the results of the trial.