What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou<\/a><\/strong>, Wierzycka outlined how her investment firm, Sygnia, ended up being involved with the development of the vaccine.<\/p>\nThe vaccine is being developed by Vaccitech, a spin-out company from the University of Oxford’s Jenner Institute, one of the oldest and most renowned vaccine research centres in the world.<\/p>\n
The group is part-owned by Oxford Sciences Innovation (OSI), a firm that works in partnership with the university to transform its patents into viable businesses.<\/p>\n
According to Wierzycka, Sygnia currently owns around 16% of OSI through an investment made a few years ago, giving the company a significant stake in the the development of the vaccine (though it does not stand to benefit financially from it, according to reports).<\/p>\n
The Oxford vaccine is one of about 120 potential vaccines being developed by teams globally, but has taken the lead due to the university’s researchers having a head start on data.<\/p>\n
Wierzycka said the researchers have been working on coronavirus-related vaccines for a while, particularly related the MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) coronavirus.<\/p>\n
This enabled it to proceed to phase 2 testing quicker than other firms.<\/p>\n
Phase 2 testing relates to human trials. Wierzycka said that this testing was already proceeding in the United States, the UK, Brazil and South Africa.<\/p>\n
The University of Witwatersrand is working with the University of Oxford on the trial and marks South Africa\u2019s first trial of a vaccine against Covid-19.<\/p>\n
Named Ox1Cov-19 Vaccine VIDA-Trial, the South African study will be led by Witwatersrand University vaccinology professor Shabir Madhi. The trial will be performed at several sites across South Africa.<\/p>\n
The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) and the University of the Witwatersrand\u2019s Human Research Ethics Committee approved the study.<\/p>\n
Wierzycka said that countries where cases are increasing rapidly like South Africa are prime for this research.<\/p>\n
“They place a very high probability of this vaccine being successful – but it will be something like an annual shot, not a once-off thing like the smallpox vaccine,” she said.<\/p>\n
Wierzycka said one worrying aspect of the virus is that it is already changing. “It’s not necessarily becoming more virulent, but the spikes (the make-up of the virus is changing). It means that we will have to keep evolving the vaccine.”<\/p>\n
Researchers have noted that a viable vaccine could be completed by the end of the year.<\/p>\n
You can watch the full interview below:<\/p>\n