GSK, SK Bioscience to test COVID-19 vaccine against AstraZeneca shot

A GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) logo is seen at the GSK research centre in Stevenage, Britain November 26, 2019. REUTERS FILE PHOTO

Britain’s GSK and South Korea’s SK Bioscience said on Tuesday the drugmakers have begun a late-stage trial of their COVID-19 vaccine candidate to assess immune response when compared with AstraZeneca’s approved shot.

The trial will enrol around 4,000 candidates globally and test SK’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate, GBP510, in combination with GSK’s vaccine booster following positive early-stage data this month.

Results from the GSK-SK study are expected in the first half next year, and the vaccine will be supplied worldwide through the World Health Organization-led vaccine sharing program COVAX if approved, the companies said.