A COVID-19 vaccine trialled in Bradford appears to offer strong protection in late-stage clinical trials, it has been announced, with the "spectacular results" hailed. 

The city was one of only two in Yorkshire to host the Novavax trial and UK phase three trials of the vaccine have found it to be 89.3 per cent effective in preventing coronavirus in participants 

The research was delivered at the University of Bradford’s Digital Health Enterprise Zone (DHEZ) building, with Consultant Respiratory Physician Professor Dinesh Saralaya leading the study.

Prof Saralaya said he was "absolutely delighted" at the news, while Prof John Wright, director of the Bradford Institute for Health Research said: "A big, big thank you to 700 brave Bradfordians (and 14k UK volunteers) You made this."

Prof Saralaya added: "For me, it's really a proud moment to make sure Bradford is a part of this.

"Having led that in the city is a really, really proud moment for me. I have to thank all the participants."

Bradford was the third highest recruiter in the country, with 726 participants, with seven per cent from the BAME community.

The trial saw long, 16-hour days, but Prof Saralaya said all the hard work which had gone in had been worth it.

Preliminary analysis showed the new UK variant was detected in more than half of the Covid-19 cases recorded in the trials, with the vaccine candidate shown to be 95.6 per cent effective against the original strain and 85.6 per cent effective against the variant.

The study involved more than 15,000 participants aged 18 to 84, with 27 per cent aged over 65.

“NVX-CoV2373 is the first vaccine to demonstrate not only high clinical efficacy against Covid-19 but also significant clinical efficacy against both the rapidly emerging UK and South Africa variants,” said Stanley Erck, the biotechnology firm’s president and chief executive.

Clive Dix, chairman of the UK Vaccine Taskforce, said: “These are spectacular results, and we are very pleased to have helped Novavax with the development of this vaccine. The efficacy shown against the emerging variants is also extremely encouraging.

“This is an incredible achievement that will ensure we can protect individuals in the UK and the rest of the world from this virus.”

The UK has ordered 60 million doses of the Novavax vaccine, although it will require approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: “Good news that the @Novavax vaccine has proved effective in UK trials. Thank you to all the volunteers who made these results possible.

“Our medicines regulator will now assess the vaccine, which will be made in Teesside. If approved, we have 60m doses on order.”

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the NHS stands ready to roll out the Novavax vaccine if it is approved by the medicines regulator.

He said: “This is positive news and, if approved by the medicines regulator, the Novavax vaccine will be a significant boost to our vaccination programme and another weapon in our arsenal to beat this awful virus.

“I’m proud the UK is at the forefront of another medical breakthrough and I want to thank the brilliant scientists and researchers, as well as the tens of thousands of selfless volunteers who took park in clinical trials.

“The NHS stands ready to roll this vaccine out as quickly as possible to those most at risk if it is authorised.”

Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi said: “Having taken part in Novavax’s vaccine trial myself, I am particularly thrilled to see such positive results. I want to thank the thousands of trial volunteers, without whom these results would not have been possible.

“It will now be for the regulator to do its crucial work in assessing the efficacy and safety of this vaccine, but if approved it will be a further boost to our vaccination programme.”

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng added: “The results from the UK trial of Novavax’s vaccine look extremely promising and I welcome the news that the company is planning to submit its data to the regulators.

“The UK moved quickly to procure 60 million doses from Novavax and I’m pleased to confirm the bulk of the vaccine will be manufactured on Teesside and delivered during this year, if approved for use.

“From the scientists and researchers to the thousands of UK trial volunteers, I am enormously grateful to everyone who is playing their part in this truly national effort to defeat this virus once and for all.”