Reuters reports that India and the United Kingdom are poised to approve the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
Millions of doses of the vaccine could be administered in January in the UK, Reuters went on to report.
An application for emergency use has also been submitted in the United Kingdom, with the CEO of AstraZeneca reporting the company has found a “winning formula” that will be borne out by study results.
Pascal Soriot also told the Telegraph the vaccine appeared to be 100 percent effective in preventing severe Covid-19 cases.
Soriot went on to say that the effectiveness of AstraZeneca candidate will match up with the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, which have granted emergency approval in the U.S.
Approval would be a major step forward for the vaccine that has seen its share of controversy.
Trials saw a bump or two along the way, with a pause that occurred when one patient developed symptoms of a rare disease. Trials later resumed.
Trials are now underway to determine if an initial finding, that a second, half dose of the vaccine was more effective than a full dose with the second vaccination.
Reuters reported that India is only looking at approving two full doses, which have an effectiveness rate at 62 percent, the equivalent of flu vaccine. The Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines have a 90 percent to 95 percent effectiveness rate.
A large-scale trial for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is also underway in the U.S. The Oxford/AstraZeneca and a vaccine from Johnson & Johnson are viewed as essential in an effort to vaccinate most Americans.
India faces a massive challenge in vaccinating a population more than three times the number of the U.S. An Indian company is also working to gain emergency approval for its vaccine.
The AstraZeneca vaccine comes with advantages that include a lower cost per dose than Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, and the ability to be stored in a refrigerator. UK-based AstraZeneca also agreed to Oxford’s demand that no profits be earned from the vaccine.
The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines now being administered in the U.S. and other nations require storage in freezers, with special deep freeze equipment and dry ice required for Pfizer doses.
The limitations of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, including their higher per dose cost, could lead to many nations not vaccinating their populations for years.
AstraZeneca employs 1,500 people in administrative and logistics positions in Delaware.
