Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine to undergo new global trials

The coronavirus vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca will undergo a new global trial as questions remain of the claims whether it could protect up to 90 per cent of people. 

Sir John Bell, Oxford’s regius professor of medicine and the UK government’s life sciences adviser, on Thursday, rejected claims that the previous trial had not been properly conducted. 

Also read | 90% efficacy of Oxford's coronavirus vaccine came from younger group

"We weren't cooking this up as we went along," the Oxford University professor said, adding that the full, peer-reviewed data would likely be published in the Lancet medical journal this weekend.

Also read | 'Light at the end of the tunnel': European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen says first European citizen might be vaccinated before end December

Meanwhile, the UK government has asked its independent drugs regulator to study the Oxford/ Astrazeneca vaccine as part of the formal approval process.   

"We have formally asked the regulator to assess the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, to understand the data and determine whether it meets rigorous safety standards," said Health Secretary Matt Hancock, as reported by news agency AFP. 

The vaccine has completed Phase III clinical trials, the final stage to detect the efficacy of any drug. 

Data so far has shown that the vaccine has an average effectiveness of about 70 per cent. 

On Friday, the shares of the drug dropped despite it requiring normal temperatures for storage and likely to available in relatively cheap prices.