https://arab.news/rmc8f
- Leader of the Oxford vaccine team Sir John Bell: 鈥楧ata from our first interim analysis is likely to be available in the very near future, and by that I mean weeks not months鈥�
- Pfizer also announces that trials of its COVID-19 vaccine, developed in partnership with Germany鈥檚 BioNTech, have returned an almost 90 percent success rate
LONDON: Data from trials of the COVID-19 vaccine being developed by a team from Oxford University in conjunction with pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca might be available within weeks.
The news comes after US drugs company Pfizer announced that trials of its own COVID-19 vaccine, developed in partnership with Germany鈥檚 BioNTech, had returned an almost 90 percent success rate, clearing the way for licensing and distribution.
Experts said Pfizer鈥檚 announcement had raised hopes that dozens of other potential vaccines currently being trialled could soon return similar positive results.
Sir John Bell, leader of the Oxford vaccine team, told the BBC: 鈥淒ata from our first interim analysis is also likely to be available in the very near future, and by that I mean weeks not months.鈥�
Prof. Robin Shattock, leader of another advanced COVID-19 vaccine, developed by a team at Imperial College London, said: 鈥淎ssuming it鈥檚 supported by the data, then this not only represents a potential breakthrough for Pfizer/BioNTech, but also for vaccines in general.鈥�
He added: 鈥淗opefully this is the first of many vaccine candidates to be seen to work. A significant light at the end of the tunnel.鈥�
Prof. Jonathan Van-Tam, England鈥檚 deputy chief medical officer, said: 鈥淭his is a huge milestone. More importantly, it is good news for many of the vaccines to come.鈥�