(Reuters) – Oxford University said on Tuesday that a small British dissertation was suspended to test the COVID-19 vaccine it had developed with AstraZeneca Plc in children and adolescents as it waited for more information on rare problems. with blood clotting in adults who shot.
The disruption of the trial is the latest blow to the vaccine, once considered a milestone in the fight against the pandemic, after several countries restricted its use in light of reports of medical problems following vaccinations.
There were no safety issues in the pediatric trial, Oxford University said. He added that he would wait for the clues from the British drug watchdog before giving further vaccinations.
The university said in February it plans to enroll 300 volunteers aged 6 to 17 in the UK as part of this study.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is currently investigating reports of an extremely rare cerebral blood clot known as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) after the AstraZeneca shots, and is expected to release its findings on Wednesday or Thursday.
A senior EMA official said there was a clear link between the vaccine and CVST, although the direct cause of the blood clots is still unknown.
The World Health Organization, which is closely studying the latest data on AstraZeneca’s vaccine with other regulators, said on Tuesday it expects there will be no reason to change its assessment that the benefits of the shot outweigh any risks.
Talks with European governments about production, supplies, possible side effects and the benefits of the vaccine have plagued the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker for months.
Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. physician on infectious diseases, told Reuters last week that the United States may not need AstraZeneca’s vaccine, even if it does not get regulatory approval.
Reporting by Aishwarya Nair, Manas Mishra and Pushkala Aripaka in Bengaluru; Edited by Chris Reese and Ramakrishnan M.