London, July 20: The results of phase - I of Oxford COVID-19 vaccine trial was published on Monday. According to the United Kingdom-based medical journal The Lancet, the vaccine is effective. Richard Borton, the editor-in-chief of the journal, said, "it is safe, well-tolerated and immunogenic." He added that results are extremely encouraging. COVID-19 Vaccine Update: Oxford Coronavirus Vaccine Early Stage Trial Shows Promise, Says Report.

According to reports, Oxford scientists have found that the jab triggers a response that may offer a "double defence" against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The Oxford vaccine candidate is believed to be leading the race among over 100 to find effective protection against the disease.

Tweet by Richard Horton:

The vaccine was developed at the University of Oxford's Jenner Institute. Oxford in April announced an agreement with the UK-based global biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca for the further development, large-scale manufacture and potential distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Prince William Visits Oxford Vaccine Development Facilities.

While the Phase-1 trial of the vaccine candidate began in April itself, a start of the Phase2/Phase-3 UK trial of the Oxford vaccine, named AZD1222, in about 10,000 adult volunteers, was announced in May.

The report of results of the first phase of vaccine trial was published at a time when the number of coronavirus cases across the globe inched closer to 15 million-mark. Over 600,000 people have succumbed to the deadly virus in the world so far. The United States is the world-hit country due to the pandemic. In the US alone, more than 3 million have contracted COVID-19, while close to 1.5 million people lost their lives due to the virus.

 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 20, 2020 07:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).