COVID-19: GSK head 'optimistic' about having vaccine by 2021; mentions 'real challenge'

Emma Walmsley, the CEO of the world’s largest vaccine producing firm reportedly said that Covid-19 Vaccine would be widely available by next year. Speaking at an online event with the Confederation of British Industry, the executive head of GlaxoSmithKline opined that she was “optimistic” that the world would have a solution to coronavirus by next year. However, as reported by wired.gov.net, she stated that the real challenge lied in getting it in the volume that is required.

GSK is contributing adjuvants, efficacy boosters that play a vital role in many vaccines, in several development alliances for potential future vaccines. One of its most advanced project with French pharmaceutical company Sanofi, which is aiming to launch its vaccine in 2020.

'Does not compromise safety' 

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In her address, Walmsley she stressed that the vaccine’s industry’s accelerated speed at producing vaccine did not affect its safety. Supporting her claim, she said that regardless of the expediated process, the trials were not smaller than usual and regulators and companies were taking steps in parallel that were previously done consecutively.

Read: Moderna's COVID-19 Vaccine Safe For Older Adults, Extended Trials Reveal

Read: COVID-19 Vaccine: Serum Institute To Make Additional 100 Million 'safe & Effective' Doses

Meanwhile, new trials conducted by Moderna Inc. revealed that its COVID-19 vaccine appeared safe and worked well with older adults. The findings of the trials were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and revealed that the vaccine produced virus neutralizing antibodies at levels similar to those seen in adults. Moderna is already testing 100 microgram dose of it’s vaccine in Phase 3, and positive results would make it US’ first vaccine.

The latest research was conducted as an extension of the company’s Phase I safety trials which were first conducted in individuals aged 18-55. For the purpose, researchers tested two doses of Moderna’s vaccine - 25 micrograms and 100 micrograms - in 40 adults aged 56 to 70 and 71 and older.