The United Kingdom has taken lead in launching the world’s first clinical
trial of patients who will receive different COVID-19 vaccines for their first of
second dose, to test its effect on immunity against coronavirus, PTI reported.

The COVID-19 Heterologous Prime Boost study, also known as ‘Com-Cov’, will
determine the effects of mixed-vaccine regimen, for instance using Oxford University/AstraZeneca’s
vaccine for the first dose and Pfizer/BioNTech’s vaccine for the second dose.

“This is a hugely important clinical trial that will provide us
with more vital evidence on the safety of these vaccines when used in different
ways,” said Nadhim Zahawi, Minister for COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment.

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The study, backed by seven million pound of government funding, is being run
by the National Immunisation Schedule Evaluation Consortium (NISEC) across
eight National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) supported sites and aims to
gather immunological evidence.

The 13-month study will study 800 patients across different sites in
England, including London, Birmingham and Liverpool. Initial findings are
expected to be released later in the year.

Using two different vaccines could even enhance the immune response.

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“It is also even possible that by combining vaccines, the immune
response could be enhanced giving even higher antibody levels that last longer;
unless this is evaluated in a clinical trial we just won’t know,” Professor Jonathan
Van-Tam, England’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Senior Responsible Officer
for the study said.

The study has received ethics approval from the Research Ethics
Committee, as well as approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products
Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

Health officials have asked people to volunteer for the trials,
directing the process for signing up.

“We need people from all backgrounds to take part in this trial, so
that we can ensure we have vaccine options suitable for all. Signing up to
volunteer for vaccine studies is quick and easy via the NHS Vaccine Research
Registry,” said Professor Andrew Ustianowski, National Clinical Lead for the
NIHR COVID Vaccine Research Programme.