The prestigious university and British pharmaceutical manufacturer Astra Zenica have released positive results for the first two stages of the trial • If the results of the third stage are good - mass production may start as early as September • Will Israel purchase the vaccine? • all the details

• The Vaccine Development Laboratory at Oxford

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Global hope: According to the findings of a study published today (Monday) in the prestigious journal Lanest, the vaccine developed at Oxford University together with the pharmaceutical giant Astra Zenica has been found to be effective and has a dual protective effect against the corona virus. The final phase of the study has been launched and according to the company's assessment, the vaccine that is in the most advanced phase in the world will be available for use this year.

The prestigious journal published the first results (stages 1 and 2) of a study designed to test the safety and efficacy of a vaccine known as AZD1222 for the corona virus developed in collaboration with the British pharmaceutical giant Astra Zenica together with the University of Oxford. 

In Israel, we were interested in purchasing the vaccine, but only superficially. The form of procurement of this vaccine is such that it is sold to international organizations that unite several countries, in order to prevent direct competition between countries for the purchase of vaccines. The vaccine is not sold directly to the state. Therefore, if they want to acquire me in Israel, they will have to join an international organization.

According to the publication the vaccine for COVID-19 was able to both produce antibodies in the body of the vaccinated and also strengthen the T cells (cells of the immune system that are able to detect and respond to the virus). While the vaccine key vaccines focus on antibody production, there is growing evidence that a T cell response is no less important in protecting against the corona virus because it creates a "dual protection effect." 

The study involved 1,077 people aged 18-55 (median age 35) at five UK medical centers. The study participants were randomly assigned with half of them receiving the corona virus vaccine and half of them being the control group and not receiving the above vaccine.  

The study found that the vaccine causes few side effects (which can be treated with painkillers) and elicits strong immune responses in two ways: One - the vaccine elicits a response of T cells within 14 days of injection and an antibody response after 28 days of injection. The researchers claim that the vaccine tested causes a good and safe immune response for use in humans. The total experiment was conducted over 56 days.

These are preliminary results of the study, however in a few months the results of the full study (third phase) that is currently taking place on a large group of people in Brazil should be published. If the vaccine is found to be safe and effective, Astra Zenika will start mass production as early as September.

Last month the World Health Organization's chief scientist estimated that the vaccine developed at the Jenner Institute at Oxford University and the British pharmaceutical giant is at the most advanced stage in the development process. There are more than 170 studies worldwide that are designed to develop a vaccine for a virus that paralyzes the world. In recent weeks, Astra Zenika has signed international organizations agreements with the aim of marketing the vaccine.

Preliminary animal experiments have shown that when a double dose of the vaccine is given to pigs, they can produce a significantly larger amount of immune response compared to a single vaccine dose. The vaccine is developed from a harmless virus, so that in fact it will not be able to produce the protein that causes corona disease. The vaccine is supposed to cause the immune system to detect the virus in the body and attack it using T. cells.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he could not promise there would be a successful vaccine against COVID-19 developed by the end of this year, saying 'we're not there yet' even as Britain lines up supplies https://t.co / E0NBtoEojK

- Reuters (@Reuters) July 20, 2020

The first results of the modern vaccine were published last week on 45 patients. The vaccine has proven effective and safe, but at this stage of the study, data were not published on patients over the age of 55 - the population at risk. Also the T cell response was weak. 

Corona virus continues to spread worldwide and so far more than 14.4 million people have contracted the disease and claimed the lives of 600,000 people in more than 188 countries. In Israel, more than 50,000 people have been diagnosed with the corona virus so far and more than 400 people have died from the disease.

However, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson slightly cooled the enthusiasm when he said today that he could not guarantee that a vaccine for the corona virus would be developed by the end of the year. "We are not there yet," Johnson was quoted as saying by the Reuters news agency.