The pharmaceutical group AstraZeneca, a partner of the British University of Oxford, has announced a pause in global phase 3 trials of its vaccine after a poor patient reaction . It was one of the most advanced Western projects in the world.
Testing of one of the world's leading COVID-19 vaccine candidates was halted a few days ago by pharmaceutical group AstraZeneca. At issue:a suspicion of a "serious adverse reaction" in a participant in the United Kingdom.
While no other details have yet been revealed regarding this "bad reaction", AstraZeneca has nevertheless wanted to minimize the fears. "This is a routine check that must occur whenever there is a potentially unexplained condition in any of the trials, to ensure the integrity of our trials is maintained “, can we read in a press release.
Adrian Esterman, a biostatistician at the University of South Australia, also downplayed the effect of the announcement. "It's extremely common. Someone almost always dies or has a stroke during a clinical trial “, he explained to the Sydney Morning Herald . “People shouldn't be too discouraged… Research doesn't work on a linear path. There are always hiccups, obstacles, and sometimes we have to backtrack “.
Nearly 50,000 people have taken part in this phase 3 trial so far. Just like the American companies Moderna and Pfizer, which are also developing the same type of clinical trial, AstraZeneca was hoping for results before the end of the year, or early 2021. In fact, the laboratory had already started manufacturing and pre-selling millions of doses in advance in case they were positive.
Note that vaccinations in this trial will be stopped until an independent committee assesses the dangerousness of the incident.
Setbacks like this are exactly why vaccines should never be rushed. Yet despite the risks, many countries, such as Russia and China, have accelerated the processes of their own trials. In the United States, too. Recently, President Trump has indeed hinted that he may authorize the commercialization of a vaccine soon in view of the upcoming US elections in November.
Against that kind of pressure, the CEOs of nine big pharma companies developing COVID-19 vaccines – including AstraZeneca – pledged this week to “maintain the integrity of the scientific process and not to publish any results of their vaccine until the drugs have passed their Phase 3 trial. In this way, these laboratories want to ensure that they are providing truly safe and effective drugs.
