(Newser)
– The head of pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, which is developing a coronavirus vaccine widely expected to be approved by UK authorities this week, said on Sunday that the researchers believe the injection will be effective against a new variant of the virus, causing a rapid increase in infections in the UK. Partial results suggest that the injection of AstraZeneca is about 70% effective in preventing disease by coronavirus infection, compared to the 95% effectiveness reported by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech, reports the AP. But Chief Executive Pascal Soriot expressed confidence in Sunday Times. “We think we have found the winning formula and how to achieve effectiveness that, after two doses, is up to everyone else,” said Soriot. “I can’t tell you more because we are going to publish at some point.”
Asked about the effectiveness of the vaccine against the new variant of coronavirus that spreads in the UK, Soriot said: “So far, we think the vaccine must remain effective. But we can’t be sure, so let’s try this out. “BioNTech expressed similar confidence in the vaccine it developed with Pfizer. AstraZeneca developed its vaccine, whose Phase 3 clinical trials are now being reviewed by British regulators, with Oxford University. The CEO said in the interview that it provides” 100 % protection “against severe cases of COVID-19 – those requiring hospitalization, according to Israel Times. The government of Great Britain has ordered 100 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine; 40 million of them are due to be delivered by the end of March. (The company’s vaccine has faced doubts.)