Oxford COVID Vaccine Trials – Mix Of Vaccines Tested For Efficacy
Oxford University is seeking volunteers for a world-first trial to check for the efficacy of a mix of vaccines. This comprises the 1st dose of one vaccine and the 2nd dose of another vaccine. Termed by ministers as โhugely important,โ the trial is moneyed by the governmentโs vaccine task force. About 820 individuals above 50 years old who havenโt been vaccinated yet, will be recruited to be administered with the 1st dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine or Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. Simultaneously, some of them will get a different vaccine after 12 weeks with a 2nd appointment, while the same vaccine will be administered to others. According to Public Health Englandโs Green Book, for people who return for a second dose that isnโt available, a different can be administered. Researchers seek information about the effect of vaccinesโ mix on individuals – reduced effect, the same, or better. Scientists say that the UK and the whole world will benefit from the data resulting from it due to problems in vaccinesโ steady supply. This strategy might even confer protection against the virusโs variants that have emerged from Brazil, South Africa, and the UK. University of Oxfordโs Paediatrics and Vaccinology associate professor Matthew Snape said that vaccine delivery could be made more flexible by interchangeably using the vaccines in the Oxford COVID Vaccine Trials and could give hints on leveraging protection against the newer strains. He is also the trialโs chief investigator. Reports exist of combining an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine) with a human adenoviral vaccine (Oxford vaccine). Snape said that better results could be obtained with it.ย
The viral protein spike is targeted in some vaccines like those by Janssen and Novovax. Snape emphasized the importance of tests that will help them determine whether the combinationsโ response will be better effective or not.ย
NHS vaccine research volunteer website will recruit volunteers by drawing the individualsโ blood and test the extent of antibody generation upon vaccine administration. To supply the government with adequate data about gaps between dosages, individuals will experience either a 12-week or a 4-week gap.ย
Englandโs deputy chief medical officer and the studyโs senior responsible officer, Prof Jonathan Van-Tam, said a flexible immunization program. The Oxford COVID Vaccine Trials could increase data, given the worldwide supply constraints, large populations to be vaccinated, etc. He said that there could also be a higher antibody level resulting from the vaccine combination. The clinical trials will also throw light on the best possible use of vaccines.
The vaccine deploymentโs minister Nadhim Zahawi said that the trials would supply adequate evidence about the safety and approaches that it can be used with. The vaccine mixing approachโs safety and efficacy wonโt be confirmed unless the regulator and scientists are entirely confident.
