China begins phase-II clinical trial of COVID-19 vaccine in Wuhan

Chinese scientists have started second phase of a clinical trial of a vaccine for coronavirus at country's epicentre Wuhan as global race to develop a drug to curb pandemic intensified.

vaccine, developed by Institute of Biotechlogy, Acemy of Military Medical Sciences of China for vel Coronavirus has entered Phase II of a human clinical trial on Sunday with 500 volunteer participants, state-run China Daily reported on Monday.

eldest volunteer is 84-year-old Wuhan resident Xiong Zhengxing, who completed vaccination on Monday morning, accompanied by his daughter.

vaccine is developed by genetic engineering methods and is used to prevent diseases caused by vel coronavirus infections, report said.

first phase of vaccine clinical trial focused on its safety, while second phase weighs more on its efficacy. Unlike first phase, second phase recruited more participants and introduced a placebo control group.

Volunteer recruitment for vaccine began on Thursday. It is China's first candidate for virus that entered clinical human testing. Phase I trial was conducted in March.

Following outbreak of Covid-19, many or Chinese institutes are also stepping up efforts to develop vaccines for disease.

China has stepped up process to finalise vaccines to counter Covid-19 after Kaiser Permanente research facility in Seattle and Washington stole march and began human trials.

re is a global race to develop vaccine. India’s Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech lab too are developing vaccine besides Australia and UK.

Currently, re are effective drugs for dely disease, although several candidate drugs are in clinical trials.

Scientists say China may have a he start on development of vaccine as it was first to map out geme sequence of vel coronavirus as virus surfaced in Wuhan in December last year. China subsequently shared sequence with WHO, US and or countries, setting off race to develop vaccine.