AstraZeneca Pauses Late Stage COVID-19 Vaccine Trial

Wall Street learned on Tuesday that multinational pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has paused a late-stage trial of one of the leading COVID-19 vaccine candidates after a suspected serious adverse reaction in a study participant.

According to health news website, which quoted an AstraZeneca spokesperson, the “standard review process triggered a pause to vaccination to allow review of safety data.” The adverse event happened in the United Kingdom.

The study is testing a COVID-19 vaccine that is being developed by AstraZeneca and University of Oxford researchers at various sites.

Details of the case were not given, although Stat News reports that the participant is expected to recover.
Stat also said that the suspension of the trial has impacted other AstraZeneca vaccine trials – as well as clinical trials being conducted by other vaccine makers, which are looking for signs of similar reactions.

A company spokesperson said that “in large trials, illnesses will happen by chance but must be independently reviewed to check this carefully.”

Stat reported that serious adverse reactions vary and can include issues that require hospitalization, life-threatening illness and death.

Disclaimer: We have no position in AstraZeneca plc (NYSE: AZN) and have not been compensated for this article.