COVID19: China approved clinical trials of human vaccines
According to Xinhua , two new
vaccines were produced by Beijing-based pharmaceutical research and development
company Sinovac in collaboration with Wuhan Institute of Biological Products of
China National Pharmaceutical Group. Quoc (Sinopharm). This is the first
batch of inactivated vaccines against Chinese Covid-19 approved clinical
trials.
Vaccines use dead disease-causing microorganisms to create
immunity, these inactivated vaccines possess the advantage of a complete
production process, controllable quality standards and a broad range of
protection. They can be used for large-scale immunization programs, and
their safety and effectiveness can be assessed against international standards.
According to sources from Sinopharm, the company has
allocated 1 billion yuan (about US $ 142 million) for vaccine research and
preparation using two technological methods. In addition to the
inactivated vaccine approved, the company is also working on another
inactivated vaccine and genetic engineering vaccine.
In March, China also allowed initial testing of the Covid-19
vaccine developed by the Chinese Military Science Academy and Tianjin-based
CanSino Bio Biotechnology Company. This is a recombinant vaccine led by
the team led by Major General Chen Wei, the leading epidemiologist and
virologist at the Military Academy of Military Sciences (AMMS). Including
both of the aforementioned vaccines, China is currently testing three types of
Covid-19 vaccine.
Many countries around the world are racing to develop the
Covid-19 vaccine, but only the US and China have conducted clinical trials on
humans. Scientists plan to take another 12-18 months to successfully
prepare a preventive vaccine.
To date, more than 1.9 million people are infected with the
new strain of coronavirus and more than 120,000 die.
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