Pharma companies Pfizer and Moderna Inc have announced that they’ve launched subject trials for a COVID-19 vaccine consisting of 30,000 subjects. This increases the hope of having a proper coronavirus vaccine ready by the end of the year.
Interestingly, the two companies have received funding from the U.S. Government with Moderna getting around $1 billion as part of the government’s Operating Warp Speed which aims to fast-track a vaccine for the coronavirus.
These new vaccines will be based on mRNA, which can teach the body’s immune system to identify and eliminate the coronavirus by using an identical surface. On the other hand, Pfizer has signed an agreement with the U.S. worth $2 billion which will provide vaccines to 50 million Americans.
It is said that Moderna is looking to produce 500 million to 1 billion doses of the vaccine starting in 2021 while Pfizer is aiming to have nearly 1.3 billion doses ready by the end of 2021.
Also Read - India's First Potential Covid-19 Vaccine Begins Human Trials At AIIMS
It is worth mentioning that there are over 150 COVID-19 vaccines that are in development, while a few of them have already progressed onto human trials. One of the global COVID-19 vaccines that’s been showing great promise is the one developed by UK pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca Plc in partnership with researchers from Oxford University.
Vaccines need to go through late-stage trials to ensure their safety and efficiency in combating the virus. Pune-based institute Serum Institute of India (SII) recently mentioned that they are applying for a license to start human trials for AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine.
It’s worth pointing out that the SII is one of the largest producers of vaccines in the world as far as the number of doses is concerned, and it looks equipped to make sure India gets the right kind of COVID-19 vaccines when they are finally available.
Also read - Corona Vaccine: Likely Or Unlikely?
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