Australia finally joins the rest of the developed world in matters of doing human trials to cure the deadly COVID-19, which continues to plague the planet for almost a year.
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Australia creates its vaccine to counter COVID-19
Human trials are now being tested out in Australia using a potential vaccine for the coronavirus developed by Australia's University of Queensland or UQ. Officials were quick enough to announce on Monday that the trials are well underway.
Over 120 brave volunteers from 18 to 55 years old chose to be part of the experiment. The human trial looks to have two stages of the potential vaccine, and the first dose has already been administered.
From there, the participants are required to practice still the norm, which is social distancing from the general population. Officials have stated that the two doses of the potentially life-saving vaccine would be injected every four weeks or one month from the first vaccine.
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What spurred the human trials for this vaccine?
The vaccine developed by UQ has come after a milestone of pre-clinical study by UQ. Since then, it has been a strong candidate for a potential vaccine that came out last seen in mid-February. The vaccine's co-founder Paul Young said that it had been shown to induce the antibodies and neutralize the virus.
Preliminary studies have successfully shown it to be safe for the people who would be used to test the vaccine. Hence human trials have been approved.
As for the results of the first human trials, officials have said that you can expect the results to be given out after three months. Scientists plan to progress to the next step towards the deadly coronavirus's cure and end this pandemic.
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"That will be a larger trial with people from a range of ages, to ensure the vaccine works across the board," Professor Young explained.
"If things go to plan, CSL will rapidly advance the production of tens of millions of doses and move the program into later-stage clinical testing, regulatory approval, large-scale manufacture and distribution," project director Trent Munro said.
UQ is collaborating with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (Cepi), and Australian biomedical giant CSL, which has committed to manufacturing the vaccine should the test prove positive.
How far away is a coronavirus vaccine?
Since the virus first appeared in January, about 170 candidates for the vaccine are in development, with 15 now in human studies.
Britain's Business Secretary Alok Sharma said the clinical trial at Oxford University is going well. He added he was "very proud" of the pace British scientists and researchers have come together to create a vaccine.
In the global competition, the Oxford vaccine was seen as the clear frontrunner. However, other scientists cast doubt on the findings of the study. Trials showed that the vaccine did not prevent the animals from capturing or transmitting the virus because traces were found in the creatures' noses.
Another vaccine trial in the United States shows promising early results after a small group of healthy volunteers reportedly developed protective antibodies in the candidate.
The eight people participated in the safety trials for the mRNA-1273 vaccine, which could prepare the immune system to combat coronavirus, according to U.S. scientists, to find neutralizing antibodies.
The volume is sufficient to promote an immune system response. The trials are expected to be carried out more broadly during the summer.
