PRESS: Doubts Raised Over AstraZeneca-Oxford Vaccine Data - FT

(Alliance News) - Concerns are increasing over the way Oxford University and AstraZeneca PLC have handled the early readout from trials of their coronavirus vaccine candidate, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.

https://www.ft.com/content/4583fbf8-b47c-4e78-8253-22efcfa4903a

The results were hailed a success for showing an average efficacy of 70%, a figure reached by pooling the results from cohorts on two different dosing regimens.

AstraZeneca on Monday said one dosing regimen showed vaccine efficacy of 90% when AZD1222 was given as a half dose, followed by a full dose at least one month apart. Another dosing regimen showed 62% efficacy when given as two full doses at least one month apart. The combined analysis from both dosing regimens resulted in an average efficacy of 70%.

But on Tuesday, Moncef Slaoui, the head of Operation Warp Speed, the US government's funding programme for vaccine development, disclosed that the subgroup that scored 90% was limited to people aged 55 or below, a demographic with lower risk of developing severe Covid-19, FT reported.

Oxford and AstraZeneca did not disclose the age breakdown on Monday, when results were released.

AstraZeneca shares closed 2.4% lower on Wednesday in London at 7,810.00 pence each. The stock is down 6.0% so far this week.

By Evelina Grecenko; evelinagrecenko@alliancenews.com

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