Anchor lead: The Covid Astra Zeneca vaccine is being used in the UK and elsewhere, Elizabeth Tracey reports
Even as vaccines against Sars-CoV2 in the US use technology known as mRNA, elsewhere in the world another type of vaccine using a virus known as an adenovirus is also being used. Andrew Pekosz, a vaccine expert at Johns Hopkins, explains some differences.
Pekosz: Adenovaccines have a longer history of use. Adenovirus vaccines are almost on the complete other end of the spectrum when it comes to stability when you compare them to mRNA vaccines. They can be stored at room temperature. They can be stored in a fridge for extremely long periods of time without any kind of degradation. The advantage that they give now is especially important when it comes to places like Africa, various parts of southeast Asia, places where cold chains are virtually impossible to keep. :29
This adenovirus vaccine was developed by Oxford University and the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, and has also been in clinical trials here in the US, where it’s makers will likely seek authorization or approval soon.[RC1] At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.