12 °c
London
Wednesday, October 4, 2023
No Result
View All Result
FurtherAfrica
  • Countries
    • Angola
    • Botswana
    • Cape Verde
    • DRC
    • Eswatini
    • Ethiopia
    • Kenya
    • Malawi
    • Mauritius
    • Mozambique
    • Namibia
    • Nigeria
    • Rwanda
    • South Africa
    • Tanzania
    • Uganda
    • Zambia
    • Zimbabwe
  • Interviews
  • Understanding
  • Videos
  • Travel
  • Weekend
  • About
FurtherAfrica
  • Countries
    • Angola
    • Botswana
    • Cape Verde
    • DRC
    • Eswatini
    • Ethiopia
    • Kenya
    • Malawi
    • Mauritius
    • Mozambique
    • Namibia
    • Nigeria
    • Rwanda
    • South Africa
    • Tanzania
    • Uganda
    • Zambia
    • Zimbabwe
  • Interviews
  • Understanding
  • Videos
  • Travel
  • Weekend
  • About
No Result
View All Result
FurtherAfrica
No Result
View All Result
Home Africa

South African trial of AstraZeneca vaccine still months from efficacy results

Staff by Staff
December 10, 2020
in Africa, Coronavirus, Health, Research, South Africa
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0 0
0
South African trial of AstraZeneca vaccine still months from efficacy results

Efficacy results may not be ready for months from a trial of AstraZeneca and Oxford University’s coronavirus vaccine in South Africa, the principal investigator of the South African study told Reuters.

AstraZeneca published findings this week from trials in Brazil and Britain showing its vaccine was on average about 70% effective in preventing coronavirus infection. It is seeking regulatory approval in several countries for its shot.

However, the company has faced calls to provide more data, after it found that the efficacy was higher in a small sub-group of participants given a smaller initial dose.

A larger U.S. trial has been delayed, potentially slowing down approval there of what has long been seen as one of the leading vaccine candidates. The published findings also did not include efficacy data from South Africa, where around 2,000 people are participating in a trial.

Shabir Madhi, professor of vaccinology at the University of the Witwatersrand, said too few participants in South Africa had contracted the coronavirus at the right time — at least two weeks after receiving two doses of either the vaccine or a placebo control — to analyse the data.

In order to demonstrate 60% efficacy, about 46 trial participants needed to test positive, he said. As of early last month fewer than five had tested positive more than two weeks after the second dose, known as an “endpoint case”.

Also read: South Africa confirms going for COVAX vaccine scheme for 10% of population

“Right now we are still somewhat thin in terms of the number of endpoint cases to do an analysis for an efficacy readout. In all likelihood we would require another resurgence, which is currently in the making in South Africa, before we would accrue an adequate number of endpoint cases,” Madhi said.

Coronavirus cases had been surging in South Africa rapidly when the study was launched in June, and a number of participants ended up testing positive too early to say whether the vaccine might have protected them. Cases then dropped off at the time when they would have produced helpful data.

Moderna and Pfizer were able to analyse their rival vaccine candidates so quickly because most of the vaccination took place before infections surged, so when the surge happened endpoint cases accrued swiftly, Madhi added.

“The time to be enrolling to these studies is not when the peak is upon you, but a good few months before that,” he said.

AstraZeneca-Oxford’s interim analysis of its British and Brazilian trial data was based on a total of 131 COVID-19 cases. Pfizer and Moderna analysed their data after just over 90 infections.

Madhi estimated his study could reach the required number of endpoint cases around February or March next year. In July he had expressed hope that researchers would be able to analyse efficacy by the end of November.

Source: Reuters

Related

Tags: AstraZeneca PlcAstraZeneca-Oxfordbiomedical researchCovid-19 vaccineHealthmedical researchSouth AfricaSouth African trial of AstraZeneca vaccine still months from efficacy resultsvaccineюжная-африкаجنوب-أفريقيا南アフリカ南非
Staff

Staff

Related Posts

Economy

Mozambique’s bond market rebounds after UBS settlement

by FurtherAfrica
October 4, 2023
Airline

Ethiopian expands Djibouti service to three weekly flights

by FurtherAfrica
October 4, 2023
Mining

Angola’s diamond industry expects poor results in 2023

by FurtherAfrica
October 4, 2023
Africa

Eni’s Africa biofuel feedstock plan to cost €700M

by FurtherAfrica
October 4, 2023
Economy

IMF board approves US$1.32B resilience loan for Morocco

by FurtherAfrica
October 3, 2023
Mozambique eVisa
 
MozParks

Translate this page

Read the Latest

Economy

Mozambique’s bond market rebounds after UBS settlement

by FurtherAfrica
October 4, 2023
0

Mozambique's bonds surged following UBS Group AG's announcement of a settlement with the southeast African nation regarding Credit Suisse's involvement...

Read more

Ethiopian expands Djibouti service to three weekly flights

October 4, 2023

Angola’s diamond industry expects poor results in 2023

October 4, 2023

Eni’s Africa biofuel feedstock plan to cost €700M

October 4, 2023

IMF board approves US$1.32B resilience loan for Morocco

October 3, 2023

FurtherAfrica Partners Network

The Exchange Farmers Review Africa 360 Mozambique
TechGist Africa Energy Capital & Power Club of Mozambique
Taarifa Rwanda Web3Africa See Africa Today
Africa Global Funds Novafrica CrudeMix Africa
Harambee Africa Botswana unplugged Financial Insights Zambia
O Económico Digilogic Africa  

Subscribe to FurtherAfrica

Enter your email address to receive new articles on your email.

Join 107.3K other subscribers
FurtherAfrica

© 2021 FurtherMarkets

FurtherAfrica is a FurtherMarkets Limited platform

  • Countries
  • Interviews
  • Understanding
  • Videos
  • Travel
  • Weekend
  • About

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Countries
    • Angola
    • Botswana
    • Cape Verde
    • DRC
    • Eswatini
    • Ethiopia
    • Kenya
    • Malawi
    • Mauritius
    • Mozambique
    • Namibia
    • Nigeria
    • Rwanda
    • South Africa
    • Tanzania
    • Uganda
    • Zambia
    • Zimbabwe
  • Interviews
  • Understanding
  • Videos
  • Travel
  • Weekend
  • About

© 2021 FurtherMarkets

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?