VACCINE RACE

COVID – 19 VACCINE

Source : https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/coronavirus-vaccine-update-bharat-biotechs-starts-clinical-trials-chinese-vaccine-sinovac-wins-military-approval-and-more-updates-about-covid-19/photostory/76708585.cms

BY – MANSI SHARMA

With the Covid cases high on rise , there is an urgent need to develop an effective vaccine as a cure . The whole world is scared and is at a standstill . The scientists , chemists and medical professionals all around the globe working day and night to find what just might relieve the world of this Pandemic .

The major countries who have come close to development of vaccine are China , USA , even India ‘s Bharat Biotech has started trials for vaccine . Although it has been claimed to be employed only to weak COVID patients with symptoms .

Here is a list of updates of Vaccine around the world :

1. Bharat BioTech's COVAXIN :

Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech have started phase 1 and 2 of clinical trials of their vaccine prototype , named ‘COVAXIN’ in India , which has been termed “safe” for use.

2.Chinese vaccine SinoVac ready for use by the military?

China has claimed to have developed a promising vaccine , in their research and biotech based firm , CanSino , which is yet to be approved for military use

3.AstraZeneca to supply vaccine doses in Brazil first?

Swedish pharmaceutical giant, AstraZeneca is jointly working with The University of Oxford on production of a vaccine , ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and is planning to start mid scale trials in Brazil .

4.)Imperial College doses the first candidate in phase I of its trials

Imperial College Of London have successfully administered Covid 19 vaccine in phase 1 and would start the doses for phase 2 vaccine soon.

5.Moderna to start phase III trials in July, ties up with pharma giant Catalent

US based Moderna Inc , most promising candidate in vaccine hunt have partnered up with Catalent and would start clinical trials by mid-July.

 Moderna confident of the vaccine working

Moderna's CEO recently issued a statement saying that he is confident about their vaccine, mRNA-1273 working effectively, with efficacy data most likely to be available by October 2020:

6.University of Oxford starts clinical trials in South Africa

Phase-I clinical trials for a promising vaccine candidate produced by the University of Oxford began in Johannesburg, which will soon spread to other parts of the African nation. 

Apart from this, a vaccine project has also been found by Nigerian scientists, who are still working on the development of the novel vaccine

7)Sanofi-GSK speed up work on vaccine development

France based Sanofi recently announced that they are hopeful of accelerating phase I and II of its prototypes between the months of September to December.

The company is making use of GSK's adjuvant, which is known to boost immunity and production of antibodies alongside its vaccine candidate.

8)Thailand ramps us effort in vaccine hunt, to start trials soon

Medical researchers based out of Thailand are hopeful of starting human clinical trials by the month of October. Makers are hopeful of the vaccine working, since the majority of the vaccine prototypes showed good results in preventing the entry of the SARS-COV2 virus by producing neutralizing antibodies.