AstraZeneca expects U.S. trial results in next 4-6 weeks, research chief says

LONDON, Feb 5 (Reuters) - AstraZeneca expects results from the U.S. clinical trial of its COVID-19 vaccine in the next four to six weeks, the pharma firm's research chief Mene Pangalos said on Friday.

Asked about when the U.S. trial results would be ready, given high transmission rates during the trial, Pangalos said that they had been high during "the latter period of the trial".

"I think we're getting very close to getting data. I would say in the next four to six weeks we should have the results for that study reading out," he told reporters.

Some experts had expected the data sooner than that, given the high infection rates in the United States during the period of testing.

(Reporting by Alistair Smout and Kate Kelland; editing by Michael Holden)

((alistair.smout@thomsonreuters.com; +44 207 542 7064; Reuters Messaging: alistair.smout.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))