The University of Oxford is expected to release information on the effectiveness of its corona virus vaccine in the coming weeks, with the latest test results indicating that it builds a strong immune system in adults.
The ChAdOx1 nCov-2019 vaccine has been shown to cause a strong immune response in healthy adults aged 56-69 years and over 70 years.
Second-degree data published in The Lancet suggest that death from Kovid-19, one of the most likely groups for serious illness, may increase immunity, the researchers said.
According to the researchers, the volunteers at the trial showed similar immune responses to those aged three (18-55, 56-69, and those over 70).
A study of 560 healthy adults – including 240 over the age of 70 – found that the vaccine was more well-tolerated in the elderly than in the younger.
Volunteers received two doses of the vaccine candidate or one placebo meningitis vaccine.
No serious adverse health events related to the vaccine were observed in the participants.
The results are consistent with the first phase data reported earlier this year for healthy adults aged 18-55 years.
Professor Andrew Pollard, author of Study Lead at Oxford University, says: “Immune responses to vaccines often decline in adults because the immune system gradually deteriorates with age, making older people more susceptible to infection.
“Consequently, the testing of Kovid-19 vaccines in this group, which is a priority group for immunization, is crucial.”
The researchers say their findings are good because they show that adults have a similar immune response to young people.
The study found that the vaccine developed with AstraZeneca can cause local reactions at the injection site and symptoms on the day of vaccination in older groups than in younger groups.
Adverse reactions were mild – injection-site pain and tenderness, fatigue, headache, fever, and muscle aches – but were more common than seen with the control vaccine.
There were thirteen serious adverse events within six months of the first dose, none of which were related to the study vaccine.
The authors note some limitations in their study, the oldest of which is on average 73-74 years old and has some healthy health conditions, so they may not be representative of the general elderly, including those living in residential care. Settings or over 80s.
Phase III trials of the vaccine are underway, and early efficacy readings are possible in the coming weeks.
UK authorities have ordered 100 million doses of vaccine, if regulated, would be enough to vaccinate the majority of the population.
The Oxford findings come after Pfizer and BioNote announced that their vaccine candidate was 95% effective, with 94% effective in people 65 and older.
The vaccine has been bought in the UK forty million doses, and will roll out in early December if regulators give Jab a green light.
Earlier this week, US biotech company Modena announced that the vaccine was about 95% effective.
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