Author: Vitaliy Dadalyan

Oxford Vaccine Shows Early Promise But Market Is Unconvinced

(Bloomberg) -- A coronavirus vaccine the University of Oxford is developing with AstraZeneca Plc showed promising results in early human testing, and is now set to move into larger trials that are likely to be decisive on how effective they truly are.The results weren’t enough to convince the market, however. AstraZeneca Plc fell from a record high in New York trading on concerns over whether its vaccine can match the progress seen in programs from Pfizer Inc. and BioNtech SE, as well as Moderna Inc.“In the competitive context they fail to impress,” said Bernstein analysts led by Ronny Gal.The vaccine increased levels of both protective neutralizing antibodies and immune T-cells that target the virus, according to the study organizers. The results, published Monday in The Lancet medical journal, are a key milestone for one of the fastest-moving vaccine projects globally.“Our hope is that we can actually start delivering a vaccine before...

AstraZeneca Drops 3.5% Even As Covid-19 Vaccine Candidate Shows Promise in Trials

Shares in AstraZeneca (AZN) dropped 3.5% even after early-stage human trial data from its Covid-19 vaccine candidate showed “robust” immune responses.The stock declined to $58.96 in afternoon market trading. Interim data results from the ongoing Phase I/II trial of the potential coronavirus vaccine, also known as AZD1222, which AstraZeneca is developing with Oxford University, showed “strong” antibody and immune T-cell responses.“While there is more work to be done, today’s data increases our confidence that the vaccine will work and allows us to continue our plans to manufacture the vaccine at scale for broad and equitable access around the world,” said Mene Pangalos, Executive VP of BioPharmaceuticals R&D.The results demonstrated that a single dose of AZD1222 resulted in a four-fold increase in antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein in 95% of participants one month after injection. In all participants, a T-cell response was induced, peaking by day 14, and maintained two...