An experimental coronavirus vaccine has been approved for use by the Chinese military – a first for the armed forces of any country.
Josephine Ma
Josephine Ma
Published: 10:34pm, 29 Jun, 2020
China has approved military use of an experimental coronavirus vaccine developed by the People’s Liberation Army and a Chinese pharmaceutical company, in a first for the armed forces of any country.
The vaccine, identified as Ad5-nCoV, was jointly developed by a team at the Academy of Military Medical Sciences, led by Major General Chen Wei, and Tianjin-based company CanSino Biologics.
It is the first time that a vaccine candidate for Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, has been authorised for use for the military of any nation.
CanSino said on Monday that the candidate had been through two phases of clinical trials, which indicated it was safe and there was “relatively high” immune response to the antigen.
The candidate is yet to start phase three trials, which would confirm whether it could protect recipients from infection.
The military has approved its use for a year but it has not been authorised for civilian purpose.
Adding Ad5-nCoV to the People’s Liberation Army’s catalogue of special drugs means that it can be deployed in major outbreaks.
It is based on an Ebola vaccine that was developed by Chen but did not go into mass production.
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Scientists are racing to find an answer to the coronavirus that has already infected more than 10 million people and killed over 500,000.
New cases continue to surge in the United States and India, with the US confirming more than 40,000 new cases for the third straight day on Monda
According to the World Health Organisation, clinical trials are under way for 17 vaccine candidates, seven of which have been developed in China.
One candidate developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca is in phase three studies.
Courtesy: South China Morning Post
