UK says other vaccine trials also likely to be paused

Other COVID-19 vaccine trials are likely to be paused at some point the British government’s Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance, said, describing a pause in the trial of an AstraZeneca vaccine as “not good” but a sensible step.

“I think you should expect in some of the other trials that you will see situations where things are paused and then restarted,” Vallance told a news conference.

“We need to make sure with these vaccines that they work, they work well enough, and they are safe,” he added.

AstraZeneca said a woman in the United Kingdom had symptoms consistent with a rare but serious spinal inflammatory disorder, which led to the British drugmaker’s decision to stop its clinical study of the new coronavirus vaccine, Stat News reported on Wednesday.

The participant was recovering and will likely be discharged from the hospital as early as today, according to Stat News, which said the new disclosures by Astra Chief Executive Pascal Soriot were shared by three of the investors participating on conference calls.

The London-listed firm said late Tuesday it would pause global trials of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate after an unexplained illness in a study participant.

A separate report from the Financial Times noted that AstraZeneca could resume trials of its experimental coronavirus vaccine next week, citing people familiar with the matter.

AstraZeneca did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the reports.

The company’s shares closed 0.5% higher at 8,230 pence on Wednesday. They slipped earlier in the day as the halt was seen as dimming prospects for an early rollout of the vaccine hopeful seen among the leading candidates.