AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine Data Shows Promising Signs In Older Age Group: FT

Data from AstraZeneca plc's AZN COVID-19 vaccine trial, developed in collaboration with the University of Oxford, has shown encouraging signs for the elderly, the Financial Times reports.

Researchers found that the vaccine triggers protective antibodies and T-cells in people aged over 55, which are among the most vulnerable to the coronavirus.

What Happened: Age is a crucial factor in COVID-19 infection. The immunogenicity blood tests carried out on older participants have shown that the vaccine generated "robust immune responses," as it did in the group of healthy adults aged 18 to 55, FT reported.

While the positive immunogenicity tests do not guarantee the vaccine's safety and efficacy until full results of Phase 3 trials, researchers take the data as a promising sign, and the results are set to be published in a clinical journal soon.

Why It Matters: AstraZeneca's collaboration with Oxford University to develop the COVID-19 vaccine is considered as one of the frontrunners to immunize the population grappling with the fast-spreading virus.

A person familiar with the U.K. government told FT that vaccination of important groups in the country could be underway by January; however, one official downplayed this considering the uncertainties surrounding the robustness of results from phase 3 trials and approvals from the U. K. regulator.

A BBC report said that new vaccine trials could start in Wales "within weeks."

The U.S. arm of AstraZeneca's trial, which was halted in September after a participant had died, was given the go-ahead to resume on Friday.

Price Action: AZN shares closed 0.08% higher at $52 on Friday.