Chinese firm verifies safety of COVID-19 vaccine after phase 2 clinical trials

As countries around the world intensify the race to develop an effective vaccine against COVID-19, a Chinese pharmaceutical firm has reportedly verified the safety of its potential vaccine after phase 2 clinical trials.  According to a Chinese daily, Sinovac Biotech Ltd has taken another step towards the trial production of the vaccine, which is expected in July, and emergency use.

Sinovac Biotech, the first company in the world to market H1N1 vaccine, is one of two COVID-19 inactivated-vaccine developers to have received the approval for clinical trials in China. Last week, the company published the preclinical study on animals for its vaccine candidate against COVID-19.

In April, the firm received the approval to conduct phase I and phase II study on its inactivated vaccine candidate against COVID-19 in China. The pharma company had commenced the phase I trial and administered the drug on 144 healthy adults aged 18-59 years.

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Sinovac CEO Weidong Yin said in a statement that the vaccine candidate induced SARS-CoV-2-specific neutralizing antibodies in mice, rats, and non-human primates, specifically the rhesus macaque. The results showed that the vaccine candidate offered safe and complete protection in rhesus macaques against SARS- CoV-2 strains, he added.

“As we begin our phase I trials, we will also accelerate the progress of our research in order to support the worldwide fight against COVID-19. Sinovac remains committed to developing vaccines for global use,” said Yin.

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'Significant alteration'

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has cautioned that people around the world may face “significant alteration” to their lives until there is an effective vaccine.  Dr Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO health emergencies program, said during a press briefing that there is a path out but emphasised the need for remaining “ever vigilant”.

“And we may have to have a significant alteration to our lifestyles until we get to a point where we have an effective vaccine or an effective treatment,” Dr Ryan added.

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(Representational Image: AP)