Coronavirus: AstraZeneca’s trial illnesses may not be due to COVID-19 shot, says Oxford University

Enrolment in the British drugmaker’s global trials of the vaccine, which it is developing with researchers at Oxford University, was paused on September 6
 

The clinical trials of AstraZeneca Plc’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate that was paused due to adverse events may not have been associated with the vaccine itself, according to a document outlining participant information that was posted online by the Oxford University.

British drugmaker’s global trials of the vaccine enrolment which it is developing with researchers at Oxford University, was paused on September 6, after a participant in its UK trial had a serious side effect thought to be a rare spinal inflammatory disorder called transverse myelitis.

Safety reviews of the trials for testing the vaccine candidate called AZD1222 or ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, were conducted when they developed unexplained neurological symptoms including changed sensation or limb weakness, and the study was paused while a safety review took place, according to the document.

“After independent review, these illnesses were either considered unlikely to be associated with the vaccine or there was insufficient evidence to say for certain that the illnesses were or were not related to the vaccine,” the document said.

The vaccine trials have been resumed in Britain, Brazil and South Africa, but not yet in the United States.