According to the public statements of Russian officials, Russia may get the vaccine from COVID-19 one of the first to fall. But if she leads in the race of vaccines on the case?
the international race for the vaccine for the coronavirus is reminiscent of the contest between the USSR and USA in space exploration in the 1960-ies, notes The Wall Street Journal. Both China and Europe, and the United States are committed as soon as possible to submit their development: this will mitigate criticism of the authorities can not cope with the pandemic at an early stage. As a rule, the development of a vaccine takes years, but in the case of COVID-19 scientists around the world hope to meet in a few months.
While European countries are more prone to international cooperation: for example, in may the European Commission announced online-marathon to raise funds for vaccine development, in which took part France, Germany, Japan, Canada, Saudi Arabia, UK, Israel, Greece. By the end of the month managed to raise more than €9.5 billion — more than planned. Vaccine COVID-19 should be a public good for the whole world, people should be equal access to it, said Prime Minister France Edouard Philippe.
But not everyone shares this view. The administration of the President of the United States, Donald trump intends to give its citizens priority access to vaccination this fall, and has committed more than $2 billion of both American and European pharmaceutical companies and foreign developments were in favor of the United States.
In may, President Vladimir Putin said that he expects the registration of the vaccine in September, and required to register in advance intellectual property rights of the country’s development.
who recognizes promising 9 Russian vaccines against coronavirus, but none of them have not yet reached the stage of clinical trials. In the whole world of the 136 now being developed vaccine on human volunteers began to experience only 10.
the First tests of vaccines against coronavirus in humans began in March. Clinical studies include several phases. During Phase 1, the vaccine is tested on a small group of people, check its safety and dosage. At the stage of Phase 2 are extensive tests on hundreds of people, among which are the target age group (e.g. children or elderly). In Phase 3 tested thousands of people. After successful completion of the vaccine must approve regulatory authorities.
University of Oxford + AstraZeneca. today the developers of Oxford and British-Swedish company AstraZeneca — the one who announced the transition to the third and final phase of trials of its vaccine. To be exact — to the phase 2b/3. Now in the UK starthet phase clinical trials involving more than 10,000 volunteers, including people aged 56-69 years, older than 70 years and children 5-12 years. This month, trials begin in Brazil is one of the coronavirus-affected countries. The study involved 2000 volunteers. Later in the summer it is planned large-scale testing of the vaccine by 30 000 adult citizens of the United States.
Scientists from Oxford embedded fragments of the genetic code of the coronavirus in a sandboxed virus-pathogen colds (adenovirus) chimpanzees.
the Oxford vaccine is one of five receiving funding from the US government in the framework of Operation Warp Speed (Operation “Supernatural speed”). The program aims to accelerate the development of vaccines against COVID-19 and highlights promising developers billions of dollars.
CanSino Biologics and Academy of the military-medical science China. In March, Chinese CanSino Biologics launched the world’s first clinical tests of a vaccine against coronavirus, based on the adenovirus Ad5, which results in a person a cold. She is also the first published results of the first phase in a scientific journal (the Lancet). In the first phase of the study involved 108 people, each committed to one of three possible doses — high, medium or low. The immune response has managed to achieve, however, most of the subjects of neutralizing antibodies was formed a little, and those who have been ill with a cold due Ad5, had antibodies to the adenovirus vector, and showed a strong immune response to the vaccine. Also, 81% of participants were observed the side effects.
Moderna. The company is developing a vaccine based on messenger RNA. She was the first in the United States has begun clinical trials. 16 Mar Moderna in conjunction with the National Institute of Allergy and infectious diseases started to test the 45 volunteers aged 19 to 55 years.
Subjects were administered two doses of vaccine with an interval of 28 days. On may 18, the company announced the success of the first phase of testing based on the data of only about eight volunteers. The quotations of the company on the Nasdaq that day soared 20% to $80 apiece, but the next day fell more than 10 percent after reports that the data are not sufficient for evaluation of the experiment.
Moderna — another participant in the program Warp Speed. She plans to test a third phase in July, and the vaccine to be ready for the 2021, writes The New York Times.
Sinopharm. China’s state-owned Sinopharm beginning phase ½ clinical trial of two inactivated vaccines (based on weakened viruses). One drug is being developed in partnership with Wuhan Institute of biological products, the other together with the Beijing Institute of biological products.
Although China complete withthe ability to develop a vaccine before the United States and other countries, it may not get approval in other States, as in the case of a vaccine against Ebola, the publication.
Sinovac. A private Chinese company Sinovac Biotech is conducting phase two trials of inactivated vaccine CoronaVac. The company is building a plant that will produce up to 100 million doses of the vaccine per year.
Novavax. In late may, the American biotechnological company Novavax has begun to phase ½ trials of their protein vaccine. The first phase was launched in Australia on 26 may, and if the preliminary results that will be announced in July, is positive, the company will begin the second phase in several countries. Novavax received from the Global coalition for innovation for the prevention of epidemics CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations) an unprecedented grant of $384 million for the first and second phase clinical trial of a vaccine and the start of work on the scaling of production.
BioNTech + Pfizer + Fosun Pharma. the German company BioNTech, is developing a vaccine based on mRNA, in cooperation with the American Pfizer and the Chinese Fosun Pharma (read more at Forbes). In may, Pfizer announced the start of vaccine trials on humans. If they are successful, the company expects in autumn to produce several million doses for emergency vaccination. Development is also funded under the program Warp Speed.
Institute of medical biology Chinese Academy of medical Sciences, scientists who invented the vaccine against polio and hepatitis A have also launched the first phase of testing of inactivated vaccine against COVID-19.
Inovio. In may, the American company has announced the successful testing of the prototype vaccine INO-4800 based on DNA in Guinea pigs and mice. Testing the drug on volunteers in the United States it began in April, the results planned by the end of June, writes The Montley Fool. Also at the end of this month to test the vaccine will begin in South Korea first at 40 and then another 120 volunteers.
Now Russia has about a dozen vaccines in preclinical phase, according to who data. More “candidates” presented only to USA, China and Canada.
Vaccines develop several groups of Russian scientists, including Novosibirsk state research center “Vector” of Rospotrebnadzor, the company “Biogard”, St. Petersburg scientific research Institute of vaccines and sera.
Now to the beginning of clinical studies prepared the vaccine, developed by the National research centre of epidemiology and Microbiology named Gamalei, Russian Ministry of health in conjunction with the 48th research Institute of the troops of radiation, chemical and biological protection of the Ministry of defense. The researchers selected two groups of volunteers: from the military and from civilians, and placed on 14-day ��solely. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in late may stated that clinical studies of the vaccine will be completed by the end of July.
In case of successful trials of the vaccine will be produced at the facilities “R-Pharm” in Yaroslavl, and co-investment in expansion of capacities of the enterprise will be the Russian direct investment Fund.
At the end of June to begin clinical trials of a vaccine against coronavirus planning research center of Virology “Vector”, said its General Director Rinat Maksyutov. The center develops six options for vaccine COVID-19.
Tatiana Lome
