Covid Fight
Companies and universities are relying on an array of approaches in the fight against Covid-19. The Oxford team has developed a technology that can speed up the process by using a harmless virus to carry some of the pathogen’s genetic material into cells to generate an immune response. The proposed vaccine is made from a weakened version of a common cold virus that’s genetically changed to make it unable to grow in humans.
Oxford has inserted genetic material from the surface spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus as a way of tricking the immune system into fighting back. The platform stimulates both antibodies and high levels of killer T-cells, a type of white blood cell that helps the immune system destroy infection.
“We’re very encouraged,” Hill said. While the test doesn’t prove the vaccine will work, “I think we’re a bit more confident it should work this week than last week.”
Moderna’s initial results were from the first group of 45 patients who received the vaccine Moderna’s shares surged in U.S. trading after the results, despite a high rate of side effects among the patients who got the shot.
The Oxford shot elicited neutralizing antibodies after a single dose, Hill said. That may be an important advantage in quickly raising immunity.
“I don’t read that clearly in the Moderna data,” he said. “I think they need two doses to see plausibly protective neutralizing antibodies.“
A large trial is set to begin this month that will test Moderna’s vaccine in a two-shot regimen. Astra will also prioritize a two-shot regimen, Hill said.
“It gives higher titres of antibodies, which is important going forward,” he said.
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.