Oxford Covid-19 Vaccine Generates 'Double Defence', Shows Promise In Early Trial: Report

However, the results of the Phase-1 trial were still awaited.

In June, AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot told Belgian radio station Bel RTL that the Oxford vaccine will likely provide protection against the disease for one year.

"We think it will protect for about a year," Soriot was quoted as saying.

According to a report in City A.M., AstraZeneca is aiming to deliver two billion doses of the drug by the end of the year.

The drugmaker had earlier said it had reached an agreement with Europe's Inclusive Vaccines Alliance (IVA), spearheaded by Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands, to supply up to 400 million doses of the University of Oxford's Covid-19 vaccine, with deliveries starting by the end of 2020.

The company completed similar agreements with the UK, the US, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and Gavi the Vaccine Alliance for 700 million doses, and it agreed to a license with the Serum Institute of India for the supply of an additional one billion doses, principally for low- and middle-income countries.