Oxford, AstraZeneca launch work on Omicron-targeted vaccine

Oxford University and AstraZeneca Plc have begun work to produce an Omicron-targeted version of their coronavirus vaccine, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.

A research group leader at Oxford, Sandy Douglas, told FT that preliminary steps in producing an updated vaccine have been taken in case it is needed, together with their partners AstraZeneca.

“Adenovirus-based vaccines (such as that made by Oxford/AstraZeneca) could in principle be used to respond to any new variant more rapidly than some may previously have realised,” Douglas added.

AstraZeneca and Oxford did not immediately respond to requests for comment outside business hours.