LONDON (AP) — AstraZeneca says late-stage trials of its COVID-19 vaccine were “highly effective’’ in preventing disease.

A vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford prevented 70% of people from developing the coronavirus in late-stage trials, the team reported Monday.

Key researcher Dr. Andrew Pollard said scientists were pleased with the results. He said researchers found that if people were given a half dose followed by a full dose, rather than two full doses, protection rose to about 90%.

“These findings show that we have an effective vaccine that will save many lives," he said.

Two other drugmakers, Pfizer and Moderna, last week reported preliminary results from late-stage trials showing that their COVID-19 vaccines were almost 95% effective.