First COVID-19 vaccine trial on monkeys successfully conducted by China

The deadly coronavirus is wreaking havoc across the globe. The countries are desperately in need of a vaccine. China, the nation where the outbreak first took place, has shown positive results on animal trials. Yes, China is believed to have successfully conducted the first coronavirus COVID-19 vaccine test on animals.

According to reports in a Science magazine, China has developed a coronavirus vaccine – PiCoVacc. It has proven very effective in monkeys. This is being considered as the world’s first animal trial reports for a coronavirus vaccine. The vaccine  PiCoVacc has been developed by Beijing-based Sinovac Biotech. The clinical trials for the PiCoVacc are about to start later this year.

The researchers at Sinovac Biotech isolated the virus from 11 patients. Among those, five were from China, three were from Italy, one was from Switzerland, one was from the UK and one was from Spain. The inactivated COVID-19 vaccine was tested on animals. The animals developed coronavirus neutralizing antibodies which effectively fought off 10 different coronavirus strains isolated from the above-mentioned patients.

Two different doses of the vaccine were given to eight rhesus macaques. Three weeks later, the group infected the monkeys with the coronavirus, however, none contracted the infection.

Currently, there are seven countries that have put their vaccines for clinical trials. China has four, one by the US, one by the UK, and one co-developed by the US and Germany. Meanwhile, Italy and Israel have also informed that it has developed a vaccine.

Also Read: Has Italy developed the world’s first Covid-19 vaccine?