Shivalik
China has begun clinical trials of two possible vaccines against the novel coronavirus, it had been reported on Tuesday.
The two inactivated vaccine prototypes are developed using pathogenic micro-organisms that are killed through the physical or chemical change, Efe news reported.
The first prototype, which received its license on Sunday to proceed with clinical trials, are developed by the Wuhan Institute of Biological Products, along side China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm).
The second was the results of a venture of several companies headed by Beijing-based firm Sinovac Research and Development Co., Ltd.
The firm may be a subsidiary of Sinovac Biotech which also worked on a vaccine against the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003.
According to Xinhua, the vaccines utilized in the clinical test are often used for a bigger-scale vaccination, the effectiveness of which can be accepted as per international standards.
According to Chinese news site Caixin, Sinopharm - which has the support of China's Ministry of Science and Technology - project will test 1,396 volunteers recruited within the Henan province - in two initial phases expected to continue until Novembe 10, 2021.
In mid-March, Chinese authorities approved the beginning of the clinical trials of another vaccine against coronavirus, which was developed by the Academy of Military Medical Sciences.
So far, COVID-19 has claimed a minimum of 3,341 lives out of the 82,249 cases of infections. About 77,738 patients are cured.
