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(Adds context on other trials and studies)
By Pushkala Aripaka and Ludwig Burger
Jan 13 (Reuters) - AstraZeneca said on Thursday that
preliminary data from a trial showed that its COVID-19 shot,
Vaxzevria, generated an increase in antibodies against the
Omicron and other variants when given as a third booster dose.
The increased response, also against the Delta variant, was
seen in a blood analysis of people who were previously
vaccinated with either Vaxzevria or an mRNA vaccine, the
drugmaker said, adding that it would submit this data to
regulators worldwide given the urgent need https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/why-you-should-still-try-avoid-catching-omicron-2022-01-12
for boosters.
AstraZeneca has developed the vaccine with researchers from
the University of Oxford, and lab studies conducted by the
university last month https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/astrazeneca-shot-third-dose-works-against-omicron-study-2021-12-23
already found a three-dose course of Vaxzevria boosted antibody
levels in the blood against the rapidly spreading Omicron
variant.
The brief statement on Thursday, which did not include
specific data, was the first by AstraZeneca on the protective
potential of Vaxzevria as a booster shot following a two
shot-course of either an mRNA based vaccine or Vaxzevria.
Vaccines base on mRNA technology are made by BioNTech-Pfizer
and Moderna.
The company said the findings "add to the growing body of
evidence supporting Vaxzevria as a third dose booster
irrespective of the primary vaccination schedules tested".
The data on Vaxzevria's potential as a booster came from a
comparative analysis in a trial testing a redesigned vaccine
which uses the vector technology behind Vaxzevria but targeting
the now-superseded Beta variant. AstraZeneca is trying to show
the Beta-specific vaccine has potential also against other
variants and more trial data is expected during the first half
of the year.
Separately, Oxford University and AstraZeneca last month
started work on a vaccine specifically targeting Omicron though
Astra - as well as other vaccine makers in similar development
projects - have said it was not yet clear whether such an
upgrade was needed.
A major British trial in December found that AstraZeneca's
shot increased antibodies when given as a booster after initial
vaccination with its own shot or Pfizer's, but that was before
the explosive spread of the Omicron variant.
However, the study at the time concluded that mRNA vaccines
made by Pfizer and Moderna gave a biggest boost to
antibodies when given as a third dose.
AstraZeneca and its contract manufacturing partners have
supplied over 2.5 billion doses globally of its vaccine, even
though it is not approved in the United States, while
BioNTech-Pfizer have shipped about 2.6 billion doses.
(Reporting by Pushkala Aripaka in Bengaluru and Ludwig Burger
in Frankfurt; editing by Subhranshu Sahu and Raissa Kasolowsky)
