AstraZeneca and Oxford University aim to produce a next-generation of Covid-19 vaccines that will protect against variants of the virus as soon as autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, said an executive at the British drug maker on Wednesday.

Asked when AstraZeneca could produce a next-generation vaccine to tackle new variants, AstraZeneca research chief Mene Pangalos said, "as rapidly as possible".

"We're very much aiming to try and have...