We could have a COVID-19 vaccine sooner than we expected.
According to reports by the Dailymail, pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has agreed to mass-produce a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University scientists.
Human trials of the experimental jab – called ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 – started last week and the first results are expected in mid-June.
If proven to be successful, the UK will be amongst the first countries to access the vaccine ‘as early as possible’, the university said in a statement.
Both partners have confirmed that the venture is not-for-profit and only the costs of production and distribution would be covered.
Developing vaccinations can take up to a decade and scientists have said finding an effective jab within 18 months would be ‘unprecedented’.