Experimental vaccine against COVID-19 produces antibody responses

WASHINGTON: An experimental COVID-19 vaccine has produced antibody responses against the coronavirus.

Moderna had previously published “interim results” from its Phase 1 in the form of a press release on its website in May, which revealed the vaccine had generated immune responses in eight patients.

Though these were called encouraging by Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious diseases official, the full study had been eagerly awaited by the scientific community.

The company has since moved to the next stage of its trial, involving 600 people. The 45 participants were split into three groups of 15 each to test doses of 25 micrograms, 100 micrograms, and 250 micrograms.

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They were given a second dose of 28-days-later. After the first round, antibody levels were found to be higher with higher level doses, and after the second round, participants had higher levels of antibodies than most patients who have COVID-19 and gone on to generate their own antibodies.

More than half the participants experienced mild or moderate side-effects, though these did not rise to the level where the trial would be called off. The side effects included fatigue, chills, headache, body ache, and pain at the injection site.