The early test results for a coronavirus vaccine could be available as early as mid-June, experts at the University of Oxford has announced.
The institution recently announced its partnership with drug giant AstraZeneca to help with the rapid large-scale distribution of a vaccine around the world, should these initial results look promising.
Human trials of the vaccine developed by the university’s Jenner Institute began last week, with hundreds of people volunteering to take part. The study has received a massive £20 million (€22.8 million) in government funding.
Sir John Bell, the Regius Professor of Medicine at Oxford University told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the partnership as a major force in the struggle against pandemics for the foreseeable future.
He said: “The challenge is that, once we get an approval by the regulators, we don’t have to go back to the beginning and work out how we manufacture at scale.
“We also want to make sure the rest of the world will be ready to make this vaccine at scale so that it gets to populations in developing, where the need is very great.”
Sir John added: “We really need a partner to do that and that partner has a big job in the UK because our manufacturing capacity in the UK for vaccines isn’t where it needs to be, and so we are going to work together with AstraZeneca to improve that considerably.”
The university hopes the partnership will lead to the production of tens of millions of doses of the vaccine by the end of the year, should the tests prove effective.
Professor Bell added: “Our manufacturing capacity in the UK for vaccines isn’t where it needs to be, and we’re going to work together with AstraZeneca to improve that considerably.”
Some robotics firms have offered their hand in this troubling time, to help not only help test for coronavirus but also to provide vital aid in the mass-scale production, manufacturing and distribution of a vaccine.
These kinds of alliances could help alleviate the risk of spreading the disease in high-risk fields.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said it was hugely welcome news that Oxford University had come to an agreement with the company to help increase the scale of the vaccine production.
He tweeted: “The Oxford vaccine is one of the most advanced in the world. Bringing together the best British science and the best of British business will give us the best possible shot at a vaccine.
“The science is uncertain, and no vaccine may work, but this deal gives the UK the best chance we can of a breakthrough that could defeat this awful virus.
“I’m sending best wishes for good fortune to all involved – for the sake of the nation and indeed the whole world.”
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