There are currently four vaccine leading a race for COVID 19. Nations around the world are under strict lock down in order to avoid further pressure. Meanwhile researchers and scientists are working to develop the vaccines for COVID 19.
1. Oxford University
Oxford University has developed a vaccine candidate ‘ChAdOx1 nCoV-19’ in under three months. The vaccine candidate uses a weakened strain of common cold virus (adenovirus) and is combined with the genetic material of the SARS-CoV-2 (the coronavirus causing COVID-19). This will enable the body to identify the spike protein of the novel coronavirus. The vaccine candidate is now in a clinical trial phase-1 and healthy volunteers have already been injected to check its safety and efficiency
2. Massachusetts-based Moderna vaccine
In US, the Massachusetts-based biotech company Moderna is developing an RNA based vaccine in collaboration with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). The vaccine candidate mRNA-1273 has already conducted phase 1 trials and is all set to begin phase 2 trials. The RNA vaccine works by entering the human cells and carries the molecular instructions to make the viral protein. Once, this viral protein is recognized by the body, the immune system of the body is triggered.
3. Beijing-based Sinovac Biotech
Chinese scientists are claiming to have successfully tested a potential vaccine for the novel coronavirus in monkeys. To conduct this experiment, the researchers injected the monkeys with the potential vaccine PiCoVacc which is made by Sinovac Biotech, a Chinese biopharmaceutical company. The monkeys were later exposed to novel coronavirus and it was found that those injected with a dose of the potential vaccine were largely protected from the virus. The vaccine is currently undergoing human clinical trials.
4. Pfizer and BioNtech vaccine
US-based Pfizer pharmaceutical company and its German partner BioNtech are working together on four RNA vaccine candidates. They also began clinical trials of their vaccine candidate BNT162. Their vaccine candidate is based on specially designed messenger RNA (similar to the Moderna vaccine) and the trails for testing the vaccine are taking place in the USA and they plan to test the potential vaccine on 360 healthy volunteers
Resources: Times of India https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/coronavirus-vaccine-latest
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