The Financial Times (FT) newspaper reported on Monday that early results from tests for a COVID-19 vaccine being developed by the University of Oxford, in collaboration with AstraZeneca Plc (ST:AZN) (LON:AZN), showed it produces a robust immune response in elderly people, the group at highest risk.

The newspaper, citing two people familiar with the finding, said that it has been discovered that the vaccine triggers protective antibodies and T-cells in older age groups, encouraging researchers as they seek evidence that it will spare those in later life from serious illness or death from the virus.

Also, the FT stated that people aware of the results from so-called immunogenicity blood tests have reported that these findings echo data released in July 2020 which showed the vaccine generated "robust immune responses" in a group of healthy adults aged between 18 and 55,

However, the FT cautioned that positive immunogenicity tests do not guarantee that the vaccine will ultimately prove safe and effective in older people.

According to Reuters news agency, AstraZeneca, which is developing the vaccine with Oxford University researchers, is seen as a frontrunner in the race to produce a vaccine to protect against COVID-19.

Details of the finding are expected to be published shortly in a clinical journal, the FT added, without naming a journal.