Mubasher: AstraZeneca has suspended global trials of its experimental coronavirus vaccine, which it develops with the University of Oxford, after an unexplained illness in a participant, Reuters reported on Wednesday.

The vaccine to combat COVID-19 has been described by the World Health Organization (WHO) as probably the world’s leading candidate and the furthest developed.

The suspension triggered a 3% decline in the British drugmaker’s shares on Wednesday as prospects for an early rollout dimmed.

On Tuesday, AstraZeneca said it had paused trials, including late-stage ones, to allow an independent committee to review safety data, and it was working to minimise any potential impact on the timeline.