China and the US announce important advances in vaccines against the new coronavirus.
In China, trials are expected to begin in April. In the US, in the city of Seattle, some volunteers are already being vaccinated.
Infomoney - Last Tuesday (17), the Chinese Ministry of Defense confirmed through a statement that its first prototype of the vaccine against the new coronavirus (Covid-2019) is ready for clinical trials in humans.
In the statement, the ministry affirms that the potential vaccine was developed through a public-private partnership between CanSino Biologics, a Chinese biotechnology company, and the country's Military Academy of Medical Sciences.
Dr. Chen Wei is the virologist who leads the team from the Institute of Bioengineering at the Academy of Military Medical Sciences responsible for the project.
“The virus is relentless, but we believe in miracles,” Chen told local media. “The epidemic is a military situation, and the epidemic area is the battlefield.”
According to information from CCTV, the Chinese state broadcaster, Chen has already been authorized by the local government to begin a clinical trial of the vaccine. However, it was not specified when these tests would begin.
According to the virologist, the vaccine follows "international standards and local regulations" and will be tested to evaluate its "large-scale, safe, and effective production." Those responsible for the project are now seeking volunteers to participate in the first human trials.
However, even if the tests are successful, the vaccine would only be ready for commercialization and large-scale distribution in about 12 months. Chen's team has been working on developing this vaccine since the end of January.
The doctor, however, said that the earliest his team could begin clinical trials is around the beginning of April.
Dr. Chen is a well-known name in the field of infectious diseases in the country. The doctor was responsible for developing a spray The nasal mask helped protect healthcare professionals against another disease caused by the coronavirus family, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), in 2003.
Furthermore, the doctor made several significant contributions to the treatment of Ebola during the 2014 and 2016 outbreaks.
The outbreak that began in Hubei province, China, has already infected more than 80 people in the country and has spread to every continent.
American project
Chinese media have heaped praise on Chen's team, considering their vaccine the most promising among other ongoing treatments. Other countries, however, are pursuing their own projects.
In the US, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), together with Moderna Therapeutics, an American biotechnology company, have developed a vaccine. Last Monday (16), the NIH announced that the first tests are already being carried out on humans.
As with the Chinese vaccine, if human trials are successful, general immunization for the public should only happen 12 months after the results of the volunteer trials have been analyzed.
According to the American health agency, the trial will initially take place in Seattle, Washington, one of the regions of the country most affected by the virus. Initially, the vaccine will be administered to 45 healthy people between the ages of 18 and 55. The volunteers will receive two doses, the second 28 days after the first.
On Thursday (19), US President Donald Trump said at a press conference at the White House that he is optimistic about the recent findings of American researchers.
The president praised the performance of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and its secretary, Stephen Hahn, for the recent results.
"It's very bad, because we've never had an economy as good as the one we had just a few weeks ago. But we will recover," the president stated.
Trump says things seem to be going well on Capitol Hill, where the White House and the U.S. Congress are currently negotiating a massive economic stimulus plan to combat the impacts of the coronavirus on the country's economy.
Vaccine in Brazil
In Brazil, researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) have taken the lead in developing a national vaccine. Tests have not yet been conducted on animals or humans, but this is expected to happen within a few months.
Unlike the technique used to manufacture the American vaccine, in Brazil, the development process is based on the creation of a particle similar to the new coronavirus, a technique called VLP (Velocity Platelet-like Pulse).virus-like particle(in English), which is essentially like a hollow virus, lacking genetic material and therefore not transmissible, making it safe for use in vaccines.
“We included the parts of the coronavirus that are important to trigger a strong immune system response, to produce blocking antibodies and prevent the virus from penetrating cells,” stated Jorge Kalil, director of the Immunology Laboratory at Incor (Heart Institute) of the USP Faculty of Medicine.