(Adds details from the report)
Dec 21 (Reuters) - Oxford University and AstraZeneca Plc
have begun work to produce an Omicron-targeted version
of their coronavirus vaccine, the Financial Times reported https://www.ft.com/content/e61faf47-d563-4a87-8f0c-dcf7b8b28b43
on Tuesday.
A research group leader at Oxford, Sandy Douglas, told FT
that preliminary steps in producing an updated vaccine have been
taken in case it is needed, together with their partners
AstraZeneca.
"Adenovirus-based vaccines (such as that made by
Oxford/AstraZeneca) could in principle be used to respond to any
new variant more rapidly than some may previously have
realised," Douglas added.
AstraZeneca and Oxford did not immediately respond to
requests for comment outside business hours.
(Reporting by Maria Ponnezhath in Bengaluru; Editing by Leslie
Adler and David Gregorio)