AstraZeneca should know by year-end whether vaccine works if trials restart

By John Miller and Ludwig Burger

 

A sign marks an AstraZeneca facility in Waltham, Massachusetts, U.S., September 9, 2020. REUTERS/Brian Snyder

 

ZURICH/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - AstraZeneca's should still know before the end of the year whether its experimental vaccine protects people against COVID-19, the drugmaker's chief executive Pascal Soriot said on Thursday, as long as it can resume trials soon.

 

The British company suspended late-stage trials this week after an illness in a participant in Britain. The patient was reportedly suffering from symptoms associated with a rare spinal inflammatory disorder called transverse myelitis.

 

Soriot said during an online event that AstraZeneca did not yet know the diagnosis, adding that it was not clear if the volunteer had transverse myelitis and more tests were needed.

 

He said the diagnosis would be submitted to an independent safety committee and this would usually then tell the company whether trials can be resumed.

 

Soriot said that the potential vaccine, which the World Health Organization (WHO) has flagged as the most promising for coronavirus, that it was usual for a trial to be suspended.

 

"It's very common, actually, and many experts will tell you this," Soriot said, adding: "The difference with other vaccine trials is, the whole world is not watching them, of course. They stop, they study, and they restart."

 

AstraZeneca would supply vaccines to countries at the same time to ensure a fair and equitable distribution, Soriot said, adding that the company was close to having capacity to produce 3 billion doses at sites set up around the world to prevent governments from restricting distribution.

 

Shares in AstraZeneca fell on Wednesday after news of the trial's suspension as some observers raised doubts about the timeline for the rollout of a vaccine to help curb the coronavirus pandemic.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-09-10

 

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Agree with this, nothing out of the ordinary, but it is a setback for those of us who would like to see a vaccine asap.

Having read up on it a bit, I do find this a little worrying. Transverse Myelitis has been associated with vaccines before although its rare it does appear to be an underlying problem for vaccine developers. Discovering what caused Transverse Myelitis is a complex procedure that needs to eliminate many other possible disorders that could cause it.

 

The Astrazenca/Oxford vaccine is to be delivered via nasal spray rather than syringe. Coincidentally there is another nasal spray vaccine that caused the same problems:

 

August 2010

Longitudinally Extensive Transverse Myelitis Following Vaccination With Nasal Attenuated Novel Influenza A(H1N1) Vaccine https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/800879

 

Here's a few other snippets of information on Transverse Myelitis:

 

Causes of transverse myelitis include infections, immune system disorders, and other disorders that may damage or destroy myelin, the fatty white insulating substance that covers nerve cell fibers.

 

There is no cure for transverse myelitis. Treatments to prevent or minimize permanent neurological deficits include corticosteroid and other medications that suppress the immune system, plasmapheresis (removal of proteins from the blood), or antiviral medications.

 

Transverse myelitis is often a onetime illness. But for some people, transverse myelitis is an early symptom of another serious disease of the nervous system. One such disease is multiple sclerosis (MS).

 

What is the prognosis? Most people with transverse myelitis have at least partial recovery, with most recovery taking place within the first 3 months after the attack. For some people, recovery may continue for up to 2 years (and in some cases, longer).

 

 

Likely one day there will be a vaccine. And likely one day it will be available to all of us. If we are lucky that will happen sometime next year. Any other speculation is just that, speculation. Just wait and relax, we can't change it. 

Off-topic post and reply removed.  

 

if the side effect turns guys into rabid sex tourists all the better for our friends with no income

On 9/10/2020 at 5:32 PM, snoop1130 said:

AstraZeneca would supply vaccines to countries at the same time to ensure a fair and equitable distribution, Soriot said, adding that the company was close to having capacity to produce 3 billion doses at sites set up around the world to prevent governments from restricting distribution.

Haven't they gone into mass production in anticipation?So if they need to make adjustments that will throw a spanner in the works because if they have to ditch what they have produced already they won't be so keen to take that gamble again.I dare say that confidence in their vaccine will have already taken a hit.

Edited September 11, 20205 yr by FarFlungFalang

2 minutes ago, FarFlungFalang said:

Haven't they gone into mass production in anticipation?So if they need to make adjustments that will throw a spanner in the works because if they have to ditch what they have produced already they won't be so keen to take that gamble again.I dare say that confidence in their vaccine will have already taken a hit.

No.

10 minutes ago, stevenl said:

No.

Are you sure?

 

AstraZeneca has started production of a potential Covid-19 vaccine in order to meet demand should the drug prove effective.

The pharmaceutical company’s chief executive, Pascal Soriot, said the company would know by August whether or not the vaccine works.

“We are starting to manufacture this vaccine right now,” Mr Soriot told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

 

“And we have to have it ready to be used by the time we have the results.

“Of course, with this decision comes a risk but it is a financial risk and that financial risk is if the vaccine doesn’t work.

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-vaccine-astrazeneca-cure-a9550541.html

Edited September 11, 20205 yr by FarFlungFalang

51 minutes ago, FarFlungFalang said:

Are you sure?

 

AstraZeneca has started production of a potential Covid-19 vaccine in order to meet demand should the drug prove effective.

The pharmaceutical company’s chief executive, Pascal Soriot, said the company would know by August whether or not the vaccine works.

“We are starting to manufacture this vaccine right now,” Mr Soriot told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

 

“And we have to have it ready to be used by the time we have the results.

“Of course, with this decision comes a risk but it is a financial risk and that financial risk is if the vaccine doesn’t work.

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-vaccine-astrazeneca-cure-a9550541.html

Yes, production has started, but not yet mass production afaik.

 

And confidence taking a hit, I don't think so. These stops are common with clinical trials.

41 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Yes, production has started, but not yet mass production afaik.

 

And confidence taking a hit, I don't think so. These stops are common with clinical trials.

It seems that Astra Zeneca shares don't agree as they have taken a bit of a dip apparently.

7 minutes ago, FarFlungFalang said:

It seems that Astra Zeneca shares don't agree as they have taken a bit of a dip apparently.

Yes, I read 8perxent, could have changed by now. It'll be back again next week.

The Australian PM "Scotty from marketing" has promised the the vaccine will be free which means the Australian people won't be paying for it so does that mean he is paying for it out of his own pocket or are Astra Zeneca will donate the vaccine to the Australian people after signing a deal with the Scotty from marketing but who is remaining tight lipped about the financial side of the deal which I've heard is in the billions of dollars which will of course be paid for using tax payers money so not free after all and smells of deals for rich mates in the big pharma buisiness.

25 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Yes, I read 8perxent, could have changed by now. It'll be back again next week.

It won't be back next week unless everything with the illness the test subject has suffered is sorted out.If it's not sorted and there are problems the shares could well plummet.

Edited September 11, 20205 yr by FarFlungFalang