Oxford to resume trials of its COVID-19 vaccine

Oxford University in England reported on Saturday that it will resume its clinical trials of the COVID-19 vaccine, after they were recently halted after a volunteer in the UK suffered an adverse reaction.

In a statement, Oxford indicated that testing of the vaccine, called ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and which is being developed with the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, will resume in the UK after a break on the 6th as a precautionary measure.

This potential vaccine, considered one of the most advanced being developed worldwide, is in the final stages of clinical trials before being authorised by regulators to proceed with the immunisation of the population.

At the end of August, the EU concluded a 'first contract' with the British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, guaranteeing access to 300 million doses of the vaccine, making the suspension of trials a serious concern in Europe and worldwide.

In its note reporting on the resumption of trials, the university indicated that around 18,000 people worldwide have received this study vaccine as part of clinical trials and that, in trials as large as this one, it is expected that some participants may feel unwell.

"Each case must be carefully evaluated" to ensure the safety of the vaccine, added the Oxford statement, which has not specified a date for the trials to resume.

Clinical trials in the UK will begin again after completion of the independent review process.

"We cannot disclose medical information about [the volunteer's] illness for reasons of participant confidentiality," the study house said in its note.

"We are committed to the safety of our participants and to the highest standard of behaviour in our studies and will monitor the safety" of the vaccine.

The potential vaccine, which showed promising results in early trials, was undergoing clinical testing in the United Kingdom, the United States, Brazil and South Africa.

Last month, the governments of Argentina and Mexico, as well as the Mexican foundation Slim, reached an agreement with AstraZeneca and Oxford University to manufacture the vaccine for their countries and then distribute it to the rest of Latin America, except Brazil.

The president of Argentina, Alberto Fernández, reported in August that the aim was to produce between 150 and 250 million doses that would be available at affordable prices, at an individual cost of between three and four dollars.