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So here is the latest update, a quite promising bit of news it looks. I know some of you thought a few tens of millions of pounds of investment meant not a lot. The US however have given AstraZeneca a billion dollars grant to start producing the Oxford vaccine. Remember as far as we know there is no proof in the public domain that it works. On the negative side is Mr Trump hedging his bets and trying to nick our vaccine ? If it’s not Brits first Boris or at least at the same time some serious questions will need to be asked.

AstraZeneca Gets $1 Billion From U.S. to Make Oxford Vaccine

AstraZeneca Plc received more than $1 billion in U.S. government funding for an experimental Covid-19 vaccine from the University of Oxford, a boost to one of the world’s fastest-moving projects to develop a shot.

The investment accelerates a race to secure vaccine supplies, seen as a key step toward restarting global economies after a lockdown-induced slump. Stock markets have been rising and falling on developments in research labs as investors weigh the prospects.

The U.K. drugmaker received the money from the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority and said it has secured capacity to make 1 billion doses. Although AstraZeneca has said it expects to have shots ready as soon as September, the company’s vaccine candidate is still in human trials, with no guarantee of success.

Overall this has to be good news as the US are the only country likely to approve a human challenge to quicken things up. 

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31 minutes ago, Well b back said:

So here is the latest update, a quite promising bit of news it looks. I know some of you thought a few tens of millions of pounds of investment meant not a lot. The US however have given AstraZeneca a billion dollars grant to start producing the Oxford vaccine. Remember as far as we know there is no proof in the public domain that it works. On the negative side is Mr Trump hedging his bets and trying to nick our vaccine ? If it’s not Brits first Boris or at least at the same time some serious questions will need to be asked.

AstraZeneca Gets $1 Billion From U.S. to Make Oxford Vaccine

AstraZeneca Plc received more than $1 billion in U.S. government funding for an experimental Covid-19 vaccine from the University of Oxford, a boost to one of the world’s fastest-moving projects to develop a shot.

The investment accelerates a race to secure vaccine supplies, seen as a key step toward restarting global economies after a lockdown-induced slump. Stock markets have been rising and falling on developments in research labs as investors weigh the prospects.

The U.K. drugmaker received the money from the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority and said it has secured capacity to make 1 billion doses. Although AstraZeneca has said it expects to have shots ready as soon as September, the company’s vaccine candidate is still in human trials, with no guarantee of success.

Overall this has to be good news as the US are the only country likely to approve a human challenge to quicken things up. 

I read that early this morning. It's positive in that a vaccine has to be developed with global cooperation (and crucially money). So, it's a very good omen ahead.

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19 minutes ago, sonyc said:

I read that early this morning. It's positive in that a vaccine has to be developed with global cooperation (and crucially money). So, it's a very good omen ahead.

It’s just very puzzling to me why millions and now billions are being spent in advance of the results to produce something that may not work. 

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7 minutes ago, Well b back said:

It’s just very puzzling to me why millions and now billions are being spent in advance of the results to produce something that may not work. 

Not puzzling at all.

All research is trial and error and it would be astonishing if the people spending this sort of money expected to get instant results. 

When you think of the countless billions that have been wasted on all manner of things it puts it into perspective

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Thanks for  the update.  I'm guessing a lot of the preparation by AZ to be ready to manufacture this vaccine will be transferable if it ends up with another vaccine that is approved.  Also there's that Tom Clancy quote about the US government "A billion here and a billion there and soon you're talking about real money....". 

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They just said on bbc they are commencing to manufacture a billion doses. Hopefully their confidence will be rewarded. It’s interesting that they are throwing everything at this and not their own US vaccine.

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Here we have some great news as Jenners vaccine moves to the next phase. Coupled with yesterday’s news this gets more and more promising.

Coronavirus: Children and older adults to take part in vaccine trial

VaccineImage copyrightGETTY IMAGES

Children and older adults are to be included in the second phase of vaccine trials to protect against coronavirus.

The first phase of the University of Oxford trial began in April, with 1,000 people given the jab.

Now, more than 10,200 adults, including over 70s and five- to 12-year-olds - will be enrolled in the study, to see the effects on their immune system.

Trials of the same vaccine on monkeys appear to have given them protection against the disease.

The scientists behind it have previously said they are aiming to have at least a million doses of a coronavirus vaccine by September this year.

But the UK government has repeatedly said there are no guarantees - and a vaccine could still be some way off.

And most experts still estimate it will take 12 to 18 months to develop and manufacture a vaccine.

Adults in the trial will receive one or two doses of either the new vaccine - ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 - or another licensed vaccine.

Researchers will then compare the number of infections in both groups. 

And this could take between two and to six months, depending on how many people are exposed to the virus.

The age range of participants has been expanded to include those aged:

  • 56-69 
  • over 70 
  • 5-12
Banner image reading 'more about coronavirus' Banner

Sarah Gilbert, professor of vaccinology, at the Jenner Institute, said: "We have had a lot of interest already from people over the age of 55 years who were not eligible to take part in the phase-one study.

"And we will now be able to include older age groups to continue the vaccine assessment. 

"We will also be including more study sites, in different parts of the country."

 

 

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Sorry one last update from AstraZeneca that confirms they are producing for the world at cost.

 
Thanks to we’re proud to announce US commitments for #COVID19 vaccine, as we are working on a number of agreements in parallel to ensure broad & equitable supply throughout the world at no profit during the pandemic. https://bit.ly/36je2o5
 
 
 


 

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54 minutes ago, Well b back said:

They have now expanded the areas they are recruiting for the next stage. Although Norfolk is not one of them lots of the country is now covered. If you think you would like to volunteer go to

https://covid19vaccinetrial.web.ox.ac.uk/participate-trial

I imagine they want volunteers in areas where there is the greatest potential for exposure to the virus, Norfolk probably won’t fit the bill for that. 
I’m not surprised to see so much money being poured into this vaccine, it’s risk and reward. The benefits of success far outweigh the financial cost of backing manufacturing before tests are conclusive. 
At the very least let’s hope that the vaccine is a success in reducing the symptoms of infection to the point where CV19 becomes nothing exceptional and no more than another seasonal virus that we can manage in the normal way.
The big question will then be, will the world change to reduce the inevitability of pandemics becoming more frequent and potentially more lethal.

Edited by Van wink

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1 hour ago, Van wink said:

I imagine they want volunteers in areas where there is the greatest potential for exposure to the virus, Norfolk probably won’t fit the bill for that. 
I’m not surprised to see so much money being poured into this vaccine, it’s risk and reward. The benefits of success far outweigh the financial cost of backing manufacturing before tests are conclusive. 
At the very least let’s hope that the vaccine is a success in reducing the symptoms of infection to the point where CV19 becomes nothing exceptional and no more than another seasonal virus that we can manage in the normal way.
The big question will then be, will the world change to reduce the inevitability of pandemics becoming more frequent and potentially more lethal.

Hi yes this time there are areas more to the North. 
Again I really believe ( maybe to optimistically ) that something good has happened as no results were to be recognised until mid June and consequently the next phase ( this phase ) was not supposed to begin until July. 
There are also reports that another country maybe about to instruct a billion doses, so maybe India, Russia EU who knows.

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With some asking me to put treatments on here as well, here is the latest.

Coronavirus: Immune clue sparks treatment hope

By Victoria Gill & Rachael BuchananBBC News
Blood samplesImage copyrightGETTY IMAGES

UK scientists are to begin testing a treatment that it is hoped could counter the effects of Covid-19 in the most seriously ill patients.

It has been found those with the most severe form of the disease have extremely low numbers of an immune cell called a T-cell. 

T-cells clear infection from the body.

The clinical trial will evaluate if a drug called interleukin 7, known to boost T-cell numbers, can aid patients' recovery.

It involves scientists from the Francis Crick Institute, King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital.

They have looked at immune cells in the blood of 60 Covid-19 patients and found an apparent crash in the numbers of T-cells. 

Prof Adrian Hayday from the Crick Institute said it was a "great surprise" to see what was happening with the immune cells.

"They're trying to protect us, but the virus seems to be doing something that's pulling the rug from under them, because their numbers have declined dramatically.

In a microlitre (0.001ml) drop of blood, normal healthy adults have between 2,000 and 4,000 T-cells, also called T lymphocytes. 

The Covid patients the team tested had between 200-1,200. 

'Extremely encouraging'

The researchers say these findings pave the way for them to develop a "fingerprint test" to check the levels of T-cells in the blood which could provide early indications of who might go on to develop more severe disease. 

But it also provides the possibility for a specific treatment to reverse that immune cell decline. 

Manu Shankar-Hari, a critical care consultant at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital, said that around 70% of patients that he sees in intensive care with Covid-19 arrive with between 400-800 lymphocytes per microlitre. "When they start to recover, their lymphocyte level also starts to go back up," he added. 

Interleukin 7 has already been tested in a small group of patients with sepsis and proved to safely increase the production of these specific cells. 

In this trial, it will be given to patients with a low lymphocyte count who have been in critical care for more than three days.

Mr Shankar-Hari said: "We are hoping that [when we increase the cell count] the viral infections gets cleared.

"As a critical care physician, I look after patients who are extremely unwell and, other than supportive care, we do not have any direct active treatment against the disease. 

"So a treatment like this coming along for in the context of a clinical trial is extremely encouraging for critical care physicians across the UK."

Banner image reading 'more about coronavirus' Banner

This research has also provided insight into the specific ways in which this disease interacts with the immune system, which Prof Hayday says will be vital as scientists around the world look for clinically valuable information. 

"The virus that has caused this completely Earth-changing emergency is unique - it's different. It is something unprecedented." 

"The exact reason for this disruption - the spanner in the works of the T-cell system - is not at all clear to us.

"This virus is really doing something distinct and future research - which we will start immediately - needs to find out the mechanism by which this virus is having these effects."

 

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Sorry to keep updating on this today but Jenner are making an awful lot of press releases.

Further to the announcement re moving to phase 2 they have know disclosed that some of the areas will be phase 3. 

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10 minutes ago, Well b back said:

Sorry to keep updating on this today but Jenner are making an awful lot of press releases.

Further to the announcement re moving to phase 2 they have know disclosed that some of the areas will be phase 3. 

Don't ever be sorry for bringing good news Wbb, and that sounds like very good news indeed  🙂

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15 minutes ago, Well b back said:

With some asking me to put treatments on here as well, here is the latest.

Coronavirus: Immune clue sparks treatment hope

By Victoria Gill & Rachael BuchananBBC News
Blood samplesImage copyrightGETTY IMAGES

UK scientists are to begin testing a treatment that it is hoped could counter the effects of Covid-19 in the most seriously ill patients.

It has been found those with the most severe form of the disease have extremely low numbers of an immune cell called a T-cell. 

T-cells clear infection from the body.

The clinical trial will evaluate if a drug called interleukin 7, known to boost T-cell numbers, can aid patients' recovery.

It involves scientists from the Francis Crick Institute, King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital.

They have looked at immune cells in the blood of 60 Covid-19 patients and found an apparent crash in the numbers of T-cells. 

Prof Adrian Hayday from the Crick Institute said it was a "great surprise" to see what was happening with the immune cells.

"They're trying to protect us, but the virus seems to be doing something that's pulling the rug from under them, because their numbers have declined dramatically.

In a microlitre (0.001ml) drop of blood, normal healthy adults have between 2,000 and 4,000 T-cells, also called T lymphocytes. 

The Covid patients the team tested had between 200-1,200. 

'Extremely encouraging'

The researchers say these findings pave the way for them to develop a "fingerprint test" to check the levels of T-cells in the blood which could provide early indications of who might go on to develop more severe disease. 

But it also provides the possibility for a specific treatment to reverse that immune cell decline. 

Manu Shankar-Hari, a critical care consultant at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital, said that around 70% of patients that he sees in intensive care with Covid-19 arrive with between 400-800 lymphocytes per microlitre. "When they start to recover, their lymphocyte level also starts to go back up," he added. 

Interleukin 7 has already been tested in a small group of patients with sepsis and proved to safely increase the production of these specific cells. 

In this trial, it will be given to patients with a low lymphocyte count who have been in critical care for more than three days.

Mr Shankar-Hari said: "We are hoping that [when we increase the cell count] the viral infections gets cleared.

"As a critical care physician, I look after patients who are extremely unwell and, other than supportive care, we do not have any direct active treatment against the disease. 

"So a treatment like this coming along for in the context of a clinical trial is extremely encouraging for critical care physicians across the UK."

Banner image reading 'more about coronavirus' Banner

This research has also provided insight into the specific ways in which this disease interacts with the immune system, which Prof Hayday says will be vital as scientists around the world look for clinically valuable information. 

"The virus that has caused this completely Earth-changing emergency is unique - it's different. It is something unprecedented." 

"The exact reason for this disruption - the spanner in the works of the T-cell system - is not at all clear to us.

"This virus is really doing something distinct and future research - which we will start immediately - needs to find out the mechanism by which this virus is having these effects."

 

Just posted about T cells on main C19 thread Wbb. This is a better and more detailed description though, thanks

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2 hours ago, sonyc said:

Just posted about T cells on main C19 thread Wbb. This is a better and more detailed description though, thanks

No problem.

There was an elderly couple on the news last night that had both been ICU. They had both recovered after a trial treatment. I wish I had listened lol as I reckon this was the treatment they were given.

At least bbc got this news first for once lol. All you have to do is punch in a search and it regularly gives you the latest, coupled with tweets from Jenner it’s not exactly rocket science. The Telegraph had an exclusive this morning reporting things a week old an as at when they went to print completely out of date. They had no mention of the billion dollars just put in, said there were grave doubts about the vaccine and saying this will mean next stage has no chance of happening until mid June. These journalists must be paid so much money for not even investigating what they report, just copying other articles. You get a hunch when the American papers, scientists mention something wether there is truth in it or not.

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As suggested in an earlier post India are now also mass producing the vaccine.

the Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine-maker by number of doses, said it would manufacture as many as 40 million doses.

"The decision — at our own risk and cost — has been solely taken to get a jump-start on manufacturing," said Adar Poonawalla, the institute's CEO.

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On 21/05/2020 at 04:17, Well b back said:

It’s just very puzzling to me why millions and now billions are being spent in advance of the results to produce something that may not work. 

Well as far as the US is concerned.... 

The President knows his only hope of getting re-elected this November is to "solve" the economy problem and / or the virus problem. The US Government is shelling out trillions of $ propping up the economy so investing 1/1,000th of that amount is a reasonable gamble.

My cynical prediction is the President will order the entire US Army / Air Force / Navy to be vaccinated under the pretext of "national security" at the beginning of October.  

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7 hours ago, Surfer said:

Well as far as the US is concerned.... 

The President knows his only hope of getting re-elected this November is to "solve" the economy problem and / or the virus problem. The US Government is shelling out trillions of $ propping up the economy so investing 1/1,000th of that amount is a reasonable gamble.

My cynical prediction is the President will order the entire US Army / Air Force / Navy to be vaccinated under the pretext of "national security" at the beginning of October.  

I would tend to agree but why not use the vaccine that is showing promise from the USA and that would be much cheaper as a genetic interference. 

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I have just answered my own question as NBC are reporting that 100,000 Americans will be injected some with the US version, some with ours in late June, early July. There will also be some other candidates if they can prove they are safe from phase 1 trials.

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That T cells breakthrough sounds very promising. We were only discussing last night how working out the common denominator amongst those who seem to have the over reactive immune systems appeared to be a key aim. 

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Here is an excellent podcast with the scientist who will be running the Glasgow trial with regards what will happen next, where we are and mentions of large numbers of other potential vaccines. For those following this thread this is a really good listen. It also explains the monkey tests.

https://www.itv.com/news/2020-03-19/coronavirus-what-you-need-to-know-itv-news-podcast-with-information-advice-and-analysis-on-the-pandemic/

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16 hours ago, Jim Smith said:

That T cells breakthrough sounds very promising. We were only discussing last night how working out the common denominator amongst those who seem to have the over reactive immune systems appeared to be a key aim. 

Hi Jim

If you have time to listen to the podcast I have just added it also mentions how the Oxford vaccine uses more T cells to fight the virus.

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Wow

For those just not just watching the Andrew Marr show the chief exec of AstraZeneca was just on. He confirmed he was ‘ very confident ‘ the vaccine will work if not to stop it completely to protect you from the serious effects of the virus. He said this was just how the flu jab works ie you can still catch it but your body can cope. He confirmed due to the falling numbers people in Brazil have been injected with the vaccine to quicken up the trial. He also confirmed most countries are now ordering their doses for September, this included China, America and India. The U.K. have apparently ordered 100 million doses, which will be made here and ready by October. This order will be purely for the U.K. 
Of course there are no guarantees but this sounds more hopeful by the day. His biggest concern was the virus disappearing from communities so they couldn’t test it properly, hence why they are in Brazil and negotiating with Russia.

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1 hour ago, Well b back said:

Wow

For those just not just watching the Andrew Marr show the chief exec of AstraZeneca was just on. He confirmed he was ‘ very confident ‘ the vaccine will work if not to stop it completely to protect you from the serious effects of the virus. He said this was just how the flu jab works ie you can still catch it but your body can cope. He confirmed due to the falling numbers people in Brazil have been injected with the vaccine to quicken up the trial. He also confirmed most countries are now ordering their doses for September, this included China, America and India. The U.K. have apparently ordered 100 million doses, which will be made here and ready by October. This order will be purely for the U.K. 
Of course there are no guarantees but this sounds more hopeful by the day. His biggest concern was the virus disappearing from communities so they couldn’t test it properly, hence why they are in Brazil and negotiating with Russia.

Sounds positive Wbb. Thanks for keeping us updated.

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3 hours ago, Well b back said:

Wow

For those just not just watching the Andrew Marr show the chief exec of AstraZeneca was just on. He confirmed he was ‘ very confident ‘ the vaccine will work if not to stop it completely to protect you from the serious effects of the virus. He said this was just how the flu jab works ie you can still catch it but your body can cope. He confirmed due to the falling numbers people in Brazil have been injected with the vaccine to quicken up the trial. He also confirmed most countries are now ordering their doses for September, this included China, America and India. The U.K. have apparently ordered 100 million doses, which will be made here and ready by October. This order will be purely for the U.K. 
Of course there are no guarantees but this sounds more hopeful by the day. His biggest concern was the virus disappearing from communities so they couldn’t test it properly, hence why they are in Brazil and negotiating with Russia.

I did mention to KG and Ricardo we’d have a vaccine in the autumn........😉👍

Hopefully if we reduce the numbers now, control the new cases knowing as soon as possible that we will have that vaccine, fingers crossed it’s going to be successful. But good news is always better than all the political ****e going on in the Covid thread, thanks WB.

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1 hour ago, Indy said:

I did mention to KG and Ricardo we’d have a vaccine in the autumn........😉👍

Hopefully if we reduce the numbers now, control the new cases knowing as soon as possible that we will have that vaccine, fingers crossed it’s going to be successful. But good news is always better than all the political ****e going on in the Covid thread, thanks WB.

Do you know what, that's pretty much exactly what I was thinking.

This thread is surely the most important and interesting one on here because it talks about the chance of basically eradicating this virus.

Anybody who is truly on this message board to talk about the virus would have looked at this thread.

The fact is, those who make the most noise on the other thread are pretty much conspicuous by their absence on here. It is funny that they can always find something to talk about and comment on over there but here, where there is no room for political posturing/comment - they don't say a word.

To me, that shows what is actually the most important thing to them - and it isn't the virus.

Edited by Mark .Y.
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7 minutes ago, Mark .Y. said:

Do you know what, that's pretty much exactly what I was thinking.

This thread is surely the most important and interesting one on here because it talks about basically eradicating this virus.

Anybody who is truly on this message board to talk about the virus would have looked at this thread.

The fact is, those who make the most noise on the other thread are pretty much conspicuous by their absence on here. It is funny that they can always find something to talk about and comment on over there but here, where there is no room for political posturing/comment - they don't say a word.

To me, that shows what is actually the most important thing to them - and it isn't the virus.

They now seem worried the epidemic will die away before they have a chance to try it.

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17 minutes ago, ricardo said:

They now seem worried the epidemic will die away before they have a chance to try it.

Yes Ricardo, looks like that's why they've taken it over to Brazil for trials there.

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19 minutes ago, ricardo said:

They now seem worried the epidemic will die away before they have a chance to try it.

All the reports I've read indicate that there is a series of local tidal waves (Italy's being the worst) which rapidly subsides.

The way this pandemic has evolved will keep the epidemiologists scratching their heads for years. Hopefully it'll provide clues - & warnings - to help against future infections.

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