Oxford Vaccine: Everything About The Vaccine That May End COVID-19 Pandemic

With COVID-19 taking a tiger grasp on our lives with each passing day, we¡¯re all desperately waiting for a vaccine to bring our lives back to normal.

While there are many vaccines that still are far from ready, there are few that are already going through human trials -- vaccines like the ones from Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and others, but the so called Oxford COVID-19 vaccine -- ChAdOx1 adenovirus vaccine -- being developed by researchers at Oxford University is clearly leading the COVID-19 vaccine race.

Representational Image: Reuters

COVID-19 vaccine led by Sarah Gilbert

In case you didn't know, Sarah Catherine Gilbert, a vaccinologist and a professor of vaccinology at the University of Oxford, and her team of researchers at the University of Oxford¡¯s Jenner Institute are currently looking at the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine against the novel coronavirus.

Sarah Gilbert (Image: John Cairns /University of Oxford)

Sarah Gilbert has expressed immense faith in the working of the vaccine, she feels that the vaccine has 80 percent chances of working at the beginning of the trials in April 2020, stating, ¡°Personally, I have a high degree of confidence. This is my view, because I've worked with this technology a lot, and I've worked on the MERS vaccine trials, and I've seen what that can do.¡±

Oxford vaccine science explained

ChAdOx1 is an adenovirus vaccine, which basically has been developed from a viral vector based on a weakened version of the common cold (adenovirus) that also consists of the genetic material of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

Once the vaccine enters the human body, the surface spike protein is produced, which prepares the immune system to attack COVID-19 if it later infects the body.

Oxford COVID-19 vaccine -- ChAdOx1 -- claims to generate a strong immune response from a single dose and does not replicate, so the vaccine itself cannot cause an ongoing infection in the individual who has been vaccinated.

Getty Images

Oxford vaccine COVID-19 test result

Rocky Mountain Laboratories (NIAID/NIH) have conducted a thorough investigation of the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine and have demonstrated good safety and efficacy of a single dose of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 in the rhesus macaque model.

Only after this initial test was successful did they go further for human trials commenced. Phase I involved 500 volunteers between age group of 18-55 years. Phase 2 human trials involved 10,260 individuals from the age group of 56-69 years, over 70 years and kids from the age group of 5-12 years.

The human trials are currently in the phase 3 stage in Brazil (involving 5,000 volunteers) and the final results of the vaccine¡¯s efficacy are expected on July 20.

AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine

Weeks after the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine generated hype, leading pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca announced an agreement for the global development and distribution of the vaccine across the world.

The phase 3 trials of Oxford vaccine formula in Brazil are under the observation of AstraZeneca, the result of which is expected very soon. AstraZeneca is also committed to produce hundreds of million doses of the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine formula within this year.

Serum Institute of India

Oxford COVID-19 vaccine and Serum India

In India, Serum India Institute as announced that they will be manufacturing the Oxford vaccine formula to take down COVID-19, based on the human trials currently being tested by Oxford University in the UK, and had started their own trials from May onwards.

The CEO of Serum India is on record saying the Oxford vaccine formula will be developed and sold at a reasonable price of Rs 1,000 in India before this year ends -- considerably cheaper than what it¡¯ll be sold across the globe.