Our NIHR Southampton Clinical Research Facility has opened recruitment to trials of a vaccine pioneered in the UK which could protect against COVID-19.
Involving up to 510 healthy volunteers between 18 and 55, 187 participants will be recruited in Southampton, the trial is looking at the vaccine’s safety, how strongly it stimulates the boy’s immune defences and its ability to protect agianst COVID-19.
Rapidly developed by clinical teams at the University of Oxford’s Jenner Institute and Oxford Vaccine Group since January, the vaccine is called ChAdOx1 nCoV-19.
It combines a weakened version of a common cold virus (adenovirus) from chimpanzees, genetically changed so that it is impossible for it to grow in humans, with genes that make proteins from the COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2).
Those proteins, called spike glycoprotein, are key to how the virus attaches to and enters the body’s cells.
“This vaccine aims to turn the virus’ most potent weapon, its spikes, against it – raising antibodies that stick to them allowing the immune system to lock onto and destroy the virus.” Explains Professor Saul Faust, director of the NIHR Southampton Clinical Research Facility.
“There are not currently any licensed vaccines or specific treatments for COVID-19 but vaccines are the most effective way of controlling outbreaks and the international community has stepped up efforts towards developing one,” He adds.
“We are really pleased to be supporting our colleagues in Oxford by collaborating on this extremely important study, which is one of only four vaccine trials underway worldwide and could pave the way for a vaccine to be delivered later this year.
“This study will enable us to assess if healthy people can be protected from COVID-19 with this new vaccine and it will also give us valuable information on its safety and ability to generate good immune responses against the virus.”
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than 70 COVID-19 vaccines are in development worldwide but the UK now joins only the United States (two studies) and China in beginning human trials.
“Those joining the trial will be playing a critical role in the global search for a vaccine that protects us all, not least frontline NHS workers, the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.” Comments Prof. Faust.
The study is taking place in Oxford and Southampton with three further sites likely to be added. Half of volunteers in the study will receive the COVID-19 vaccine and the other half will be given a licensed ‘control’ vaccine against meningitis and sepsis (the conjugate MenACWY vaccine) as comparison.
Production has already been scaled up pre-trial to prepare as early as possible for larger trials and potential future deployment, in partnership with bioprocessing companies Portsmouth company Pall, Cobra Biologics in Keele, Oxford BioMedica in Oxford, Advent in Rome and Halix in the Netherlands, as well as unnamed partners in India and China.
Prof. Faust, who is a consultant in immunology and infectious diseases, said: “By starting vaccine manufacturing scale-up immediately, the team can ensure that enough vaccine doses are available as soon as possible for the next trials which will include older people and children.
To find out more about the study and how to take part, visit https://covid19vaccinetrial.co.uk/volunteer.
Posted on Monday 20 April 2020