Oxford's Covid vaccine 70% effective

Oxford will now support Astra Zeneca in submitting both the interim Phase-3 efficacy data and the extensive safety data to all regulators across the world

Pharma major AstraZeneca on Monday said that an interim analysis of clinical trials of its Covid-19 vaccine in the UK and Brazil showed that it was 70 per cent effective on average, becoming the latest firm to post the vaccine trials results raising hope to contain the deadly virus.

The vaccine, developed with the University of Oxford, showed 90 per cent efficacy in one dosing regimen when the vaccine was given as a half dose, followed by a full dose at least a month later, and another dosing regimen showed 62 per cent efficacy when given as two full doses at least one month apart, AstraZeneca said in a statement. "The combined analysis from both dosing regimens resulted in an average efficacy of 70 per cent," it added.

An independent Data Safety Monitoring Board determined that the analysis met its primary endpoint showing protection from Covid-19 occurring 14 days or more after receiving two doses of the vaccine, AstraZeneca said. No serious safety events related to the vaccine have been confirmed.

By Aditi Khanna London