China begins phase-II clinical trial of coronavirus COVID-19 vaccine, recruits 500 volunteers

Mangalore Today News Network

Bejing, Apr 14, 2020: Amid the rising clamour to develop a vaccine for coronavirus COVID-19, Chinese scientists have taken the lead to enter the critical second phase of clinical trials, reported Global Times.

 

It is learnt that the scientists involved in the project have recruited 500 volunteers, including an 84-year-old Wuhan resident for the second phase clinical trials. It is to be noted that Wuhan was the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak.

The recombinant vaccine was developed by the Institute of Biotechnology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences of China by a research team led by PLA Major General Chen Wei.

According to Global Times, the scientists have used genetic engineering methods to develop the vaccine. In the first phase of the clinical trial of this vaccine, the researchers focused on its safety while the focus of the second phase will be on its efficacy. The second phase has more volunteers than the first phase and it also includes a placebo control group.

Notably, this is China’s first candidate for the COVID019 that entered clinical human testing. The Phase I trial was conducted in March.

In a related development, World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday (April 13) said that coronavirus COVID-19 is 10 times more deadly than swine flu and only a vaccine can fully halt transmission of coronavirus.

Addressing a virtual briefing from Geneva, Ghebreyesus noted that the WHO was closely monitoring the coronavirus pandemic, which has has now killed over 115,000 people and infected over 1.8 million.

"We know that Covid-19 spreads fast, and we know that it is deadly, 10 times deadlier than the 2009 flu pandemic," he said.