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Reuters | Breaking International News & Views
Find latest news from every corner of the globe at Reuters.com, your online source for breaking international news coverage.
uk.reuters.com
LONDON (Reuters) - England’s Chief Medical Officer has hailed a finding that steroid drug dexamethasone can save the lives of those severely ill with COVID-19 as the most important trial result so far, as scientists seek effective treatments for the new disease.
“This is the most important trial result for COVID-19 so far,” Chris Whitty said on Twitter about the findings of the UK-led clinical trial known as RECOVERY.
“Significant reduction in mortality in those requiring oxygen or ventilation from a widely available, safe and well known drug... It will save lives around the world.”
A step in the right direction, a collection of useful therapies for people hospitalised by the virus was always going to be easier to find than a vaccine. However AstraZeneca are hot on the heels of a vaccine which is in stage 3 trials now apparently.
Reuters | Breaking International News & Views
Find latest news from every corner of the globe at Reuters.com, your online source for breaking international news coverage.
uk.reuters.com
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - AstraZeneca’s (AZN.L) potential coronavirus vaccine is likely to provide protection against contracting COVID-19 for about a year, the company’s chief executive told a Belgian radio station on Tuesday.
The British drugmaker has already begun human trials of the vaccine developed by the University of Oxford, with a phase I trial in Britain due to end soon and a phase III trial already begun, Pascal Soriot told broadcaster Bel RTL.
“We think that it will protect for about a year,” Soriot said.
AstraZeneca said on Saturday that it had signed contracts with France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands to supply the European Union with up to 400 million doses of the potential vaccine.
It has also agreed deals with Britain and the United States.
“If all goes well, we will have the results of the clinical trials in August/September. We are manufacturing in parallel. We will be ready to deliver from October if all goes well,” Soriot said.
