A coronavirus vaccine could be available this year, Oxford University researchers said yesterday after a “milestone” clinical trial produced encouraging results.
The vaccine stimulated “robust immune responses” and there were no serious side-effects in a phase-one trial involving about 1,100 healthy volunteers.
The subjects displayed sufficient levels of neutralising antibodies, thought to be critical in protecting against viral infection, to give researchers grounds for optimism. A second important aspect of the immune system, T-cells, were also mobilised, according to a study in The Lancet.
The researchers emphasised that it was not known whether these responses were sufficient to protect against Covid-19 but they said that the results were promising.
Sarah Gilbert, professor of vaccinology at Oxford University, who is leading the project, told
