Oxford to Resume Trial of AstraZeneca Vaccine

INA – SOURCES

The University of Oxford and AstraZeneca have restarted a UK trial of an experimental COVID-19 vaccine after it was halted over concerns about a participant who fell ill.

The UK Medicines Health Regulatory Authority recommended that the study resume after an independent review of the safety data triggered a pause on Sept. 6, Oxford said in a statement. It declined to disclose details about the volunteer’s illness.

While temporary halts are common in vaccine trials, the interruption to the closely watched Astra-Oxford study had raised concerns about the viability of one of the fastest-moving experimental shots seeking protection from the pandemic. The race to develop a COVID-19 vaccine has compressed what is normally a decade-long process into a matter of months, with data from final-stage trials expected as soon as next month.