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.