The first participants in a Phase II/III trial for the new COVID-19 variant vaccine AZD2816 have been vaccinated to assess safety and immunogenicity in both previously vaccinated and unvaccinated adults.

AZD2816 will be administered to individuals who have previously been fully vaccinated with two doses of Vaxzevria or an mRNA vaccine, at least three months after their last injection. In non-vaccinated individuals, AZD2816 will be given as two doses, four or twelve weeks apart, or given as a second dose following a first dose of Vaxzevria four weeks apart.

AZD2816 has been designed using the same adenoviral vector platform as Vaxzevria, with minor genetic alterations to the spike protein based on the Beta (B.1.351, South African) variant.

Sir Mene Pangalos, Executive Vice President, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, said: “It is important we continue to stay ahead of genetically distinct variants of the coronavirus. AZD2816 should help broaden an individual’s immune response against emerging variants of concern. Initiating the Phase II/III trial for AZD2816 means we can be prepared should a variant vaccine be required in the future.”

Professor Sir Andrew J Pollard, chief investigator and director of the Oxford Vaccine Group at the University of Oxford, said: “Testing booster doses of existing vaccines and new variant vaccines is important to ensure we are best prepared to stay ahead of the coronavirus pandemic, should their use be needed.”