WHO "Three COVID-19 Vaccines Enter Human Trials... China Clinical Phase 1 and 2"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yuri Kim] Bloomberg News reported on the 13th, citing World Health Organization (WHO) data, that three novel coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine development projects from the United States and China have entered clinical trial phases.

As of the 11th (local time), 70 projects have been reported to the WHO. Among them, the fastest progressing vaccine is jointly developed by the Chinese biotech company CanSino Biologics and the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, with Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials being conducted simultaneously. Phase 1 is the stage where the safety of the drug is verified on a small number of subjects and the dosage is determined. Phase 2 is the stage where the drug's efficacy is confirmed on a small group.

American pharmaceutical companies Moderna and Inovio Pharmaceuticals are also conducting Phase 1 clinical trials respectively. The remaining 67 projects are in preclinical stages before human trials.

Not only the United States and China, but many universities in the United Kingdom and Japan have joined the race to develop COVID-19 vaccines, and countries such as Germany, Sweden, Russia, and India have also joined vaccine development efforts. Among established vaccine giants, Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, and Sanofi are collaborating with universities and biotech companies to conduct one or more projects. Some foreign companies' vaccines are also reportedly planning to start clinical trials soon in Korea.

In addition to the 70 projects reported to the WHO, companies worldwide have embarked on or are preparing for vaccine development. Jerome Kim, Director General of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), said in an interview published on the 11th by the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP), "According to related associations in Korea, six Korean companies are developing vaccines."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.