China has approved early-stage human tests for two experimental coronavirus vaccines as it battles to curtail imported cases and prevent a second wave of COVID-19.
State News Agency Xinhua reported that, the experimental vaccines are being developed by a Beijing-based unit of Sinovac Biotech and by the Wuhan Institute of Biological Products, an affiliate of state-owned China National Pharmaceutical Group,
Scientists around the world are racing against time to develop a vaccine for coronavirus, which has killed more than 119,000 people and infected more than 1.9 million globally
The vaccines use inactivated coronavirus pathogens, and the approvals pave the way for early-stage human trials, Wu Yuanbin, an official from China’s Ministry of Science and Technology told a regular press briefing.
He said,
“Vaccination of subjects during the first phase of clinical trials and the recruitment of volunteers for the second phase of clinical trials began on April 9.
“It’s the world’s first novel coronavirus vaccine to initiate Phase II clinical studies.”
“The vaccines using the above technical methods are expected to be submitted for clinical trials in April and May."