The UK has accelerated trials of AstraZeneca’s vaccine. Reuters
The UK has accelerated trials of AstraZeneca’s vaccine. Reuters
The UK has accelerated trials of AstraZeneca’s vaccine. Reuters
The UK has accelerated trials of AstraZeneca’s vaccine. Reuters

UK's medical watchdog speeds up review process in search for Covid vaccine


Nicky Harley
  • English
  • Arabic

The UK’s health regulator has accelerated the review process for Covid vaccines.

On Sunday, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency said the review of a potential vaccine by AstraZeneca was now under way, days after a similar analysis of an inoculation from Pfizer began.

“We can confirm the MHRA’s rolling review of our potential Covid-19 vaccine,” an AstraZeneca spokesman said on Sunday.

The rolling review allows regulators to analyse clinical data in real time and open dialogue with pharmaceutical companies on manufacturing and trials to accelerate the approval process.

The approach is designed to speed up evaluations of promising drugs or vaccines during a public health emergency.

AstraZeneca – whose Covid-19 vaccine is being developed in tandem with the University of Oxford – and Pfizer are among the front runners in the race to develop an inoculation for coronavirus, along with Johnson & Johnson and Moderna.

Data from the trials are expected in the coming weeks.

Last week, UK-based AstraZeneca revealed its experimental vaccine produces a similar immune response in old and young adults. The vaccine also triggers lower adverse responses among the elderly, it said.

Work on the Oxford vaccine started in January using a weakened version of a common cold virus that causes infections in chimpanzees.

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The President's Cake

Director: Hasan Hadi

Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem 

Rating: 4/5

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The specs: 2019 GMC Yukon Denali

Price, base: Dh306,500
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Power: 420hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 621Nm @ 4,100rpm​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​Fuel economy, combined: 12.9L / 100km

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

What is Folia?

Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.

Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."

Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.

In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love". 

There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.

While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."

Company%20profile
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