Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine shows immune response against coronavirus, says new study
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Early results of a clinical trial showed the vaccine from Oxford-AstraZeneca induced an immune response against COVID-19.
The Oxford University study enlisted 1,077 healthy adults from ages 18 to 55 across five trial sites in the United Kingdom. None of the participants had a previous confirmed case of the coronavirus.
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Approximately half of participants received the potential vaccine while the other half received a control injection. Fourteen days later, researchers saw an increase in “spike specific T-cell responses.” Scientists also tracked anti-coronavirus neutralizing antibodies as they developed. These antibodies rose significantly over the 28-day study and suggested the vaccine induced an immune response.
“The immune system has two ways of finding and attacking pathogens — antibodies and T-cell responses,” Dr. Andrew Pollard, an University of Oxford pediatrician and the lead study author, said in a statement. “This vaccine is intended to induce both, so it can attack the virus when it’s circulating in the body as well as attacking infected cells.
The side effects, according to the report, were mild and included pain, fever, chills, muscle aches and fatigue indicating the vaccination is both safe and effective.
The study was published online in The Lancet on Monday. A Phase 3 clinical trial is slated to begin at the end of July.