Sanofi, Glaxo announces setback in coronavirus vaccine project 

Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) on Friday announced a setback in their coronavirus vaccine project, saying they now expect their vaccine to be available next year.

The companies said in a joint statement that interim results from a phase 1/2 trial showed the vaccine produced a low immune response in older adults, which it said was likely due to an insufficient concentration of the antigen.

The vaccine did elicit an immune response in adults 18-49 years old that the companies said was comparable to that seen in recovered COVID-19 patients.

U.K.-based GSK and French company Sanofi said they will conduct a phase 2b study in February 2021. Phase 3 confirmatory trials, which were originally slated for this month, are now expected to begin by the second quarter of 2021.

The companies now think the vaccine will be available from mid-2021 to the fourth quarter of 2021. They were originally planning to begin the trial this month.