A potential COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca Plc and Oxford University produced a strong immune response in older adults, giving hope it may protect some of those most vulnerable to the disease, data from mid-stage trials showed.
The data, reported in part last month but published in full in The Lancet medical journal on Thursday, suggest that those aged over 70 - who are at higher risk of serious illness and death from COVID-19 - could build robust immunity to the pandemic disease, researchers said.
"The robust antibody and T-cell responses seen in older people in our study are encouraging," said Maheshi Ramasamy, a consultant and a co-lead investigator at the Oxford Vaccine Group.