Astra shares rose 0.3% in early London trading. (file)
According to laboratory studies at the University of Oxford, the third dose of AstraZeneca plc’s COVID-19 vaccine significantly helped neutralize levels of antibodies against Omicron.
The vaccine, made by Astra and Oxford, increased neutralizing antibodies to the same level as with a booster shot after two doses against the delta variant, the drug company said in a statement on Thursday. The company said the third dose produced higher levels of neutralizing antibodies than individuals who were naturally cured of alpha, beta and delta strains.
The results are largely good news for the vaccine, which has been sidelined in the West as a booster because messenger RNA vaccines were shown to be more effective in various trials. The study looked at 41 people who were given the third dose.
Astra shares rose 0.3% in early London trading.
Data from another laboratory study showed that individuals vaccinated with two doses of Astra’s shot had neutralizing activity against Omicron, although a 36-fold reduction was observed from the original virus strain.
The rapid spread of Omicron and its ability to initially reduce antibody protection in many vaccines prompted many countries to launch rapid booster campaigns. The UK alone reported more than 100,000 new Covid cases on Wednesday for the first time, putting pressure on Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has opposed further restrictions ahead of Christmas.
omicron severity
However, early studies from South Africa, Scotland and England suggest that the highly mutated Omicron variant is less likely to land patients in hospital than the delta strain. The findings give hope that there will be fewer cases of serious illness, yet Omicron’s high infectivity means it can still seriously impact health services, increasing the need for boosters.
“It is very encouraging to see that existing vaccines have the potential to protect against omicrons after a third dose booster,” said John Bell, a professor of medicine at Oxford and one of the study investigators. “These results support the use of third-dose boosters as part of national vaccine strategies, particularly to limit the spread of forms of concern, including Omicron.”
Astra’s Data Pfizer Inc. And that comes after studies released by Moderna Inc. about how their vaccines stack up against Omicron in recent weeks. Preliminary laboratory tests from Pfizer and partner BioNTech SE showed that neutralizing Omicron may require a third dose of their COVID-19 vaccine, as researchers observed a 25-fold reduction in neutralizing antibodies that occurred in two doses. Fight version.
Moderna also found increased antibody levels against Omicron in a booster dose.
Novavax Inc. said Wednesday that its vaccine produces an effective immune response against the variant, but said it may be necessary to develop an Omicron-targeted vaccine.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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