First human trial of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford shows promise, as it appears safe and triggers an immune response.
Trials involving 1,077 people showed the injection led to them making antibodies and T-cells that can fight coronavirus.
In the research, scientists said that the COVID-19 vaccine produced a dual immune response in people aged 18 to 55 that lasted at least two months after they were immunised.
“We are seeing good immune response in almost everybody,” said Dr Adrian Hill, director of the Jenner Institute at Oxford University.
“What this vaccine does particularly well is trigger both arms of the immune system,” he said.
The vaccine is being developed at unprecedented speed, and it is made from a genetically engineered virus that causes the common cold in chimpanzees.
The findings are hugely promising, but it is still too soon to know if this is enough to offer protection and larger trials are underway.
The UK has already ordered 100 million doses of the vaccine.
Al Jazeera’s Paul Brennan, reporting from Oxford city, said the progress looks hopeful but there are no guarantees at this stage.
“The ideal vaccine needs to be effective after one or two doses, it must be good for elderly people and target participants such as people with existing health conditions,
“It also needs to be effective for a period of longer than six months and at this stage its too early to say whether or not this vaccine actually meets those criteria,” he said.
