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Oxford vaccine gives strong COVID immune response - Lancet

'Keep investing in research' says Speranza, WHO congratulates

Redazione Ansa

(ANSA) - ROME, 21 LUG - The ChAdOx1 anti-COVID vaccine, developed by Oxford University's Jenner Institute with the collaboration of Italy's Irbm company, "induced a strong immune and anti-body response up to the 56th day of the ongoing testing," The Lancet reported Monday. These are the preliminary results of phase 1-2 of testing which involved 1,077 healthy adults. "Further studies are necessary to confirm if the vaccine effectively protects from COVID-19", the article said.
    The article, published in the authoritative scientific journal, highlights "promising initial results" relating to the ChAdOx1 vaccine, which is described as "safe" and "with few side effects". The preliminary results have in fact shown that in the sample of 1,077 healthy adult subjects involved in the testing, the vaccine was able to trigger "strong responses" in the production of anti-bodies and T immune cells up to day 56 of the ongoing clinical testing. The responses, the Jenner Institute researchers underscore, "may even be greater after a second dose, according to a study on a sub-group of 10 participants".
    The authors, however, urge caution, stressing that "further clinical studies should be carried out on this vaccine prototype". The present results, they point out, are in fact focused on the immune response measured in the laboratory and "further tests are necessary to confirm if the vaccine effectively protects from COVID-19 infection".
    "More time and patience is needed. But the first scientific results of the Oxford University vaccine, whose viral vector is made in Pomezia and will be placed in phials at Anagni, are encouraging," said Health Minister Roberto Speranza. "Italy, with Germany, France and the Netherlands," he added, "is in the lead group for this testing. We are continuing to invest in scientific research as a key to defeat the virus".
    The positive results of the anti-COVID vaccine tests performed in Oxford is "good news" for the World Health Organization (WHO) too, according to the agency's health emergencies director Michael Ryan, who conveyed to his colleagues at the British university his "congratulations for the progress made". The fact that the vaccine developed by the British university has produced a strong immune response "is a positive result, but there is still a long way to go," Ryan said. "Now we have to move on to large-scale tests", he added. (ANSA).
   

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