AstraZeneca resumes vaccine trial in Japan, in talks with U.S.

(Reuters) – AstraZeneca Plc said on Friday clinical trials of its experimental COVID-19 vaccine resumed in Japan, while adding that it was in talks with regulators on data needed to restart studies in the United States, where they remain halted.

Several global trials of the vaccine, AZD1222, were put on hold last month after an unexplained illness in a study participant. While most trials have resumed, U.S. trials are still on pause as regulators widened their probe, Reuters reported on Wednesday.

The British drugmaker said the early-to-mid-stage trial for the vaccine candidate against the novel coronavirus resumed in Japan after consultations with the national health regulator, the Japanese Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency.

Trials in the UK, Brazil, South Africa and India had already restarted.

(Reporting by Pushkala Aripaka in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta, Bernard Orr)