AstraZeneca says early trial data show third dose helps against Omicron

AstraZeneca says early trial data show third dose helps against Omicron

Topic: Science and Technology

Concept:

• ASTRAZENECA said that preliminary data from atrial showed that its Covid-19 shot,Vaxzevria, generated an increase in antibodies against the Omicron and other variants when given asa third booster dose.
• The increased response, also against the Delta variant, was seen in a blood analysis of people who were previously vaccinated with either Vaxzervria or an mRNA vaccine, the drugmaker said, adding that it would submit this data to regulators worldwide given the urgent need for boosters.
• AstraZeneca has developed the vaccine with researchers from the University of Oxford, and lab studies conducted by the university already found a three-dose course of Vaxzevria boosted antibody levels in the blood against the rapidly spreading Omicron variant.

About AstraZeneca:

The Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, codenamed AZD1222, and sold under the brand name Covishield and Vaxzevria among others, is a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca given by intramuscular injection, using as a vector the modified chimpanzee adenovirus ChAdOx1.