China begins clinical trials of two possible coronavirus vaccines

China on April 14, has reportedly started clinical trials for two of its possible vaccines for novel coronavirus. According to reports, the first inactivated vaccine is developed by the Wuhan Institute of Biological Products, along with China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm), while the other one has been developed by several companies in a joint-venture headed by Beijing-based firm Sinovac Research and Development Co. Ltd. 

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Media reports suggest that the prototype vaccines have been developed using pathogenic micro-organisms that have been killed through the physical or chemical process. As per reports, Sinovac Research and Development Co. Ltd that has developed the second vaccine along with several other companies is a subsidiary of Sinovac Biotech that had worked on vaccine projects for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003. 

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According to Chinese state-run media, the project will test nearly 1,400 volunteers recruited in the Henan province, in two initial phases expected to continue until November 10, 2021. The Chinese authorities had earlier given permission to run clinical trials of another vaccine developed by the Academy of Military Medical Sciences. Human trials of vaccines have been going on in different parts of the world, including the United States and Germany. More than 3,300 people died in China due to coronavirus before the curve flattened in the country.

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Coronavirus outbreak

The deadly coronavirus infection has claimed more than 1,20,000 lives across the world and has infected over 19,34,000 people globally since it first broke out in December 2019. China was the most affected country until last month before Italy, Spain, Iran, the US, France, the UK, Belgium surpassed it to record the most number of deaths anywhere in the world due to COVID-19. The virus is believed to have originated from a seafood market in China's Wuhan city, the epicentre of the disease, where animals were reportedly being traded illegally.

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(Image Credit: AP)