Scientists in Israel likely to announce they've developed Coronavirus vaccine: Report

Scientists in Israel are expected to anunce in coming days that y have completed development of a vaccine for new coronavirus COVID-19, according to a media report in Jerusalem.

Israeli daily Ha'aretz, quoting medical sources, reported on Thursday that scientists at Israel's Institute for Biological Research, supervised by Prime Minister's office, have recently had a significant breakthrough in understanding biological mechanism and qualities of virus, including better diagstic capability, production of antibodies for those who already have virus and development of a vaccine.

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development process, however, requires a series of tests and experiments that may last many months before vaccination is deemed effective or safe to use, report said.  Defence Ministry, however, did t confirm same in its response to daily.

"re has been breakthrough in efforts of biological institute to find a vaccine for coronavirus or to develop testing kits. institute's work is conducted according to an orderly work plan and it will take time. If and when re will be something to report, it will be done in an orderly fashion", Defence Ministry told Ha'aretz.

" biological institute is a world-rewned research and development ncy, which relies on experienced researchers and scientists with great kwledge and quality infrastructures. re are w more than 50 experienced scientists working at institute on researching and developing a medical remedy for virus," it added.

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Institute for Biological Research, located in central Israeli town of Nes Tziona, was established in 1952 as part of Israel Defence Forces' Science Corps, and later became a civilian organisation. It is technically under supervision of Prime Minister's Office, but is in close communication with Defence Ministry, as per report.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is said to have ordered institute to devote resources to develop a vaccine for Covid-19 on February 1.

rmal process of development of such a vaccine requires a long process of pre-clinical trials on animals, followed by clinical trials. This period allows for a full characterization of side effects and a better understanding of how different populations are affected, daily said.

global emergency over Coronavirus pandemic, however, may accelerate this process in order to vaccinate as many people who are most at risk from virus, it said.

Israel's most popular news portal, Ynet, reported about three weeks ago that five shipments of virus samples arrived here from Japan, Italy and or countries. y were brought by a specially secured Defence Ministry courier to Institute for Biological Research and had been frozen at -80 degrees Celsius, it said. re has been intensive work, including by leading experts, to develop vaccine since n.

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Experts believe that length of time needed to develop a vaccine runs from a few months to a year and a half.

Numerous research teams all over world are participating in race to develop a vaccine for COVID-19. Many of m at this point are focusing on way virus presents itself in animals, with biggest hurdle being way it morphs when it moves from animals to human beings.

China released genetic sequence of virus on open scientific databases shortly after its outbreak in January so that research institutes and commercial companies could try to develop treatments and vaccines without requiring to obtain samples.

Around a month and a half after genetic sequence was published, biotechlogy company Moderna, Inc., based in Boston, Massachusetts, anunced it had completed development of a possible coronavirus vaccine, Ha'aretz reported.

vaccine was sent to US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, with clinical trials, which will include up to 25 health participants to start in April, report said. Any vaccine developed in Israel will presumably also need to go through a similar or even stricter process before it will be approved for use, daily said.

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