Mix-and-match approach boosts immune response of AstraZeneca shot, study finds

Record ID: 1623810

  • Title: Mix-and-match approach boosts immune response of AstraZeneca shot, study finds
  • Date: 28th June 2021
  • Summary: OXFORD, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JUNE 28, 2021) (REUTERS VIA ZOOM) SOUNDBITE (English) ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN PAEDIATRICS AND VACCINOLOGY, MATTHEW SNAPE, SAYING: “We know that the standard schedules with Astrazeneca and Pfizer do protect against disease, so I think that should be the default option. We have an enormous safety database on those schedules and we know they protect against the disease. But we have shown that the mixed schedules do generate a good immune response so if there were circumstances that meant that you needed to change these things around or you needed flexibility then I think our data are very reassuring that that would be okay.“
  • Embargoed: 12th July 2021 18:08
  • Keywords: AstraZenica Jenner Institute Oxford Pfizer vaccine vaccine cocktail
  • Location: OXFORD AND MACCLESFIELD, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM, BRAINE-LE-COMTE AND PUURS, BELGIUM,
  • City: OXFORD AND MACCLESFIELD, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM, BRAINE-LE-COMTE AND PUURS, BELGIUM,
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Europe,Health/Medicine
  • Reuters ID: LVA007EJBGRWN
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:A mixed schedule of vaccines where a shot of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine is given four weeks after an AstraZeneca shot will produce better immune responses than giving another dose of AstraZeneca, an Oxford study said on Monday (June 28).
    The study, called Com-COV, compared mixed two-dose schedules of Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines, and found that in any combination, they produced high concentrations of antibodies against the coronavirus spike protein.
    The data provides support for the decision of some European countries that have started offering alternatives to AstraZeneca as a second shot after the vaccine was linked to rare blood clots.
    Matthew Snape, the Oxford professor behind the trial, said that the findings could be used to give flexibility to vaccine rollouts, but was not large enough to recommend a broader shift away from clinically approved schedules on its own.
    The highest antibody response was seen in people receiving two doses of Pfizer vaccine, with both mixed schedules producing better responses than two doses of AstraZeneca vaccine.
    An AstraZeneca shot followed by Pfizer produced the best T-cell responses, and also a higher antibody response than Pfizer followed by AstraZeneca.
    The results were for combinations of vaccines given at four week intervals to 830 participants.
    Com-COV is also looking at mixed schedules over a 12-week interval, and Snape noted that AstraZeneca's shot was known to produce a better immune response with a longer interval between doses.
    (Production : Natalie Thomas)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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