AstraZeneca to try human adenoviral vector in further clinical trials of its COVID-19 shot

In a recent statement, AstraZeneca said it was considering how it could assess combinations of different vaccines, and would soon begin exploring with Russia’s Gamaleya Institute, which developed Sputnik V, whether two common cold virus-based vaccines could be successfully combined.

After the Sputnik V vaccine’s clinical trial preliminary results showed its efficacy at above 90 per cent, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF, Russia’s sovereign wealth fund) and Gamaleya Institute had offered AstraZeneca to use one of the two components (human adenoviral vectors) of the Sputnik V vaccine in AstraZeneca’s clinical trials.

In a recent statement, AstraZeneca said it was considering how it could assess combinations of different vaccines, and would soon begin exploring with Russia’s Gamaleya Institute, which developed Sputnik V, whether two common cold virus-based vaccines could be successfully combined. While no further details were available, its Russian arm said it would start to enrol adults aged 18 years and older to the trial.

According to a release from RDIF, AstraZeneca has reportedly accepted this proposal and will begin clinical trials of its vaccine in combination with Sputnik V’s human adenoviral vector type Ad26 by the end of 2020. This research is a bid to allow AstraZeneca’s scientists to study the possibility of boosting their vaccine’s efficacy through the application of this combined approach.

(With inputs from agencies)