China wants to test COVID-19 vaccine in patients from different countries

Scientists believe that testing the drug in the most affected countries will help to obtain more reliable results.

Chinese doctors working on a new type of coronavirus vaccine intend to expand the geography of testing in foreign countries, the South China Morning Post reports.

Recall that the development of a vaccine against COVID-19 is carried out by scientists from the Academy of Military Medical Sciences of the People’s Liberation Army of China and specialists from pharmaceutical companies in the country, in their work they take into account the experience in developing a vaccine against Ebola.

Clinical trials of the vaccine began in Wuhan on March 16, with more than a hundred volunteers participating. Scientists intend to identify the manifestation of side effects, as well as to find out if specific antibodies against the coronavirus S-protein are formed in the body of the participants.

“We quickly delayed the virus, now we have insufficiently confirmed cases for further testing of the vaccine (…). Testing of thousands of people may be required,” virologists say.

Preliminary results of the first stage of the research are planned to be received before the end of April, however, at the next stages of the test, doctors will need to increase the number of participants: we are talking about thousands of people. Scientists also note that testing in the most affected countries will help to obtain more reliable results.

According to representatives of the Academy, China intends to initiate trials abroad only with confirmation of the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine. It is also noted that many countries have already expressed interest in collaborating with researchers.