Oxfords vaccine offers good duration of immunity to COVID-19 compared to no vaccine: lead researcher – Firstpost

The vaccine has been licensed to AstraZeneca and is in its Phase III of its human trials in the UK.

Oxford University, experts think, is the most likely to come up with a viable vaccine candidate forCOVID-19, which has caused havoc around the world. Even the World Health Organisationhas pegged themas the leading candidate for a viable vaccine.

In a recent online call with the Ministers of Parliament of the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee,Dr Sarah Gilbert, thelead researcher for Oxford's COVID-19 vaccine and Professor of Vaccinology at the Jenner Institute & Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine,spokeabout the ongoing trial.

The coronavirus is a family of viruses and SARS-CoV-2,like SARS and MERS, is part of this one big family, identified in the mid-1960s.Coronaviruses are known tohave symptoms like fever, sore throat, headaches, cough, runny nose, etc and are also very common. People who have been infectedare thought tobe susceptible togetting infected again. This is a major causefor concern with a potential COVID-19 vaccine.

In order to dispel concerns about re-infections, Gilbert said that the Oxford vaccine should be able to provide a good duration of immunity and she is optimistic about it. She also said a vaccine might provide better results than natural immunity acquired when individuals recover from the virus.

"Vaccines have a different way of engaging with the immune system, and we follow people in our studies using the same type of technology to make the vaccines for several years, and we still see strong immune responses," said Gilbert.

"Its something we have to test and follow over time we cant know until we actually have the data but were optimistic based on earlier studies that we will see a good duration of immunity, for several years at least, and probably better than naturally-acquired immunity."

A vaccine candidate against COVID-19 (the SARS-CoV-2 virus), provided by Imperial College London. About a dozen vaccine candidates are in early stages of testing in thousands of people. Image: Imperial College London via AP

The vaccine, which has been given the name AZD1222, islicensed to British biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, whichwill be manufacturing it if trials succeed.The vaccine is currently inPhase III human trials,in whichthe vaccine is being administered to around 8,000participants. Thetrial will assess how the vaccine works in a large number of people over the age of 18,and whetherthe vaccine works to prevent people from becoming infected with COVID-19.

Gilbert said, "We're very happy that we're seeing the right sort of immune response that will give protection, and not the wrong sort."

Oxford Universityisalsoslated to conducthuman trials in Brazil with 5,000 individuals, in the US with 30,000participants and another 2,000 in South Africa.

When asked how long will it be till a vaccine is available, Gilbert said she is confident human trials will be completed by the year-end, by which time AstraZeneca plans to manufacture millions of doses in anticipation of approval.

However, Kate Bingham, chair of the UK Government Vaccine Taskforce, said that, excluding the Oxford vaccine program that is on track to be completed by August this year, she hopes for a breakthrough in other COVID-19 trials by early 2021.

"We dont know coronavirus well. Think of examples like HIV and malaria. We know those diseases well, yet we dont have vaccines against them," she told the committee. "So we may never get a vaccine, or we may only get a vaccine that modifies the severity of the disease, or lessens its effects."

Oxford University Regius Professor of MedicineSir John Bellalso echoed similar thoughts as Bingham when he said, "This whole epidemic has relied too heavily on assumptions that have turned out not to be true. So my strong advice is to be prepared for the worst."

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Oxfords vaccine offers good duration of immunity to COVID-19 compared to no vaccine: lead researcher - Firstpost