University of Michigan recruiting volunteers for AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine trial in final testing stage
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 19: A general view of AstraZeneca is seen during Prime Minister Scott Morrison's visit on August 19, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. The Australian government has announced an agreement with the British pharmaceutical giant Astr
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (FOX 2) - AstraZeneca announced this week its vaccine candidate has entered the final testing stage in the U.S.
The Cambridge, England-based company said the study will now involve up to 30,000 adults from various racial, ethnic and geographic groups - and the University of Michigan is one of several sites supporting the trial.
U-M will begin recruiting hundreds of participants for the trial immediately until the trial is full. The Phase III portion of this trial will look at the individuals over a period of two years.
Phase I/II trials of the vaccine in more than 1,000 people were completed earlier this year and demonstrated increased antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2 and no serious adverse effects.
To be eligible to take part in the next phase of the trial, you must be 18 years or older, be in good or stable health and do not have a previously confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19.
You can get more information and potentially sign up here.
AstraZeneca said development of the vaccine, known as AZD1222, is moving ahead globally with late-stage trials also in the U.K., Brazil and South Africa. Further trials are planned in Japan and Russia.
The AstraZeneca trial is one of several vaccine trials being funded through a public/private partnership under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services called Operation Warp Speed. It is designed to accelerate the development of a life-saving vaccine to prevent COVID-19, while maintaining standards for safety and efficacy.
“We are proud to advance the University of Michigan's outstanding legacy of excellence in vaccine trials with this important clinical trial partnership. We hope one day soon to be able to announce a successful vaccine against COVID-19 and save lives,” says Mark Schlissel, M.D., Ph.D., president of the University of Michigan.
Two other vaccine candidates began final testing this summer in tens of thousands of people in the U.S. One was created by the National Institutes of Health and manufactured by Moderna Inc., and the other developed by Pfizer Inc. and Germany’s BioNTech.
“To have just one vaccine enter the final stage of trials eight months after discovering a virus would be a remarkable achievement; to have three at that point with more on the way is extraordinary,” Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said in a statement.
You can see a scorecard of vaccines that already have begun or are getting close to final-stage tests here.