The Oxford Vaccine Centre’s COVID-19 ‘COV002‘ vaccine trial is being run by the Jenner Institute and Oxford Vaccine Group. The team, who started work on developing a vaccine to prevent COVID-19 on 20th January 2020 is led by Prof. Sarah Gilbert, Prof. Andrew Pollard, Prof. Teresa Lambe, Dr Sandy Douglas, Prof. Catherine Green and Prof. Adrian Hill.

The aims to assess how well people across a broad range of ages could be protected from COVID-19 using a new vaccine called ChAdOx1 nCoV-19. It will also provide valuable information on safety of the vaccine and its ability to generate good immune responses against the virus.

Participants that were eligible to take part in the study, were randomised to receive one dose of either the trial vaccine (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19) or a licensed meningitis vaccine (MenACWY) that was used as a ‘control’ for comparison, and are being followed-up for 12 months.

The clinical trial is being conducted in collaboration with multiple study sites across the UK. Here in NHS Lothian, the local Principal Investigator is Dr Rebecca K Sutherland. Over 600 participants were recruited across both the Western General and Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh and are being followed-up at the NHS Lothian Clinical Research Facilities. The trial is being coordinated by the Regional Infectious Diseases Research Team (RIDU) at the Western General.

The first COVID-19 vaccine doses to be given in Scotland were in the COV002 trial, and this vaccine has since become known as Vaxzevria (commonly referred to as the Oxford/AstraZeneca Vaccine). Billions of doses of Vaxzevria have now been given around the world as an approved vaccine after the COV002 trial proved its safety and efficacy.

After completeing 12 months of follow-up since their last COVID-19 vaccine dose, all COV002 participants are being invited to take part in the COV009 study which aims to further characterize the ongoing safety and immunogenicity of Vaxzevria and other COVID-19 vaccines.

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