So far the AstraZeneca vaccine has not been given in a third dose as studies have been done on its effectiveness. Today, however, AstraZeneca announced that preliminary data from a clinical trial of the Vaxzevria vaccine showed that the drug produced a greater response of antibodies against the Omicron variant and others - including Beta, Delta and Algae as a third, booster dose.
It can be given even if the first two doses were mRNA
The increased response, even to the Delta variant, was detected by a blood test of people who had previously been vaccinated with either Vaxzevria or an mRNA vaccine, the pharmaceutical company said, adding that it would submit the data to international regulators as a matter of urgency. for booster doses.
AstraZeneca has developed the coronavirus vaccine in collaboration with researchers from the University of Oxford and laboratory studies conducted last month by the university already found that a three-dose regimen of Vaxzevria increases blood pressure levels. .
Today's brief announcement, which does not include specific data, is the first AstraZeneca to make about the possible protection that Vaxzevria provides as a booster dose after two doses of either the same vaccine or another mRNA vaccine.
The company said its findings "reinforce the growing body of evidence supporting Vaxzevria as a third boost regardless of the initial vaccination regimens tested with other drugs".
The new data with Omicron
A major UK clinical trial in December found that the AstraZeneca vaccine boosted antibodies when given as a booster dose after the initial vaccination with either its own or Pfizer vaccine, but before the Omicron explosion.
However, research at the time concluded that the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines provided a greater increase in antibodies when administered as a third dose.
AstraZeneca and its manufacturing partners have supplied more than 2,5 billion doses of the vaccine worldwide, although this has not been approved in the US, while BioNTech-Pfizer has supplied approximately 2,6 billion doses.
Source: RES - EIA