AstraZeneca said its COVID-19 vaccine, called Vaxzevria, generated an antibody response against Omicron when given as a third booster dose to individuals who were earlier inoculated with either AstraZeneca’s shot or an mRNA jab. Citing preliminary data from an ongoing clinical trial, AstraZeneca said in a Jan. 13 statement that its COVID-19 vaccine generated an increased immune response against a number of variants, including Delta and the highly mutated Omicron strain. “These important studies show that a third dose of Vaxzevria after two initial doses of the same vaccine, or after mRNA or inactivated vaccines, strongly boosts immunity against COVID-19,” said Andrew J. Pollard, chief investigator and director of the Oxford Vaccine Group at the University of Oxford, which co-developed Vaxzevria. AstraZeneca said it plans to submit the data to health regulators around the world for approval for use as a third shot. “Given the ongoing urgency of the pandemic and Vaxzevria’s increased …