COVID-19 Vaccine: Canadian Firm Claims Breakthrough

After news of a breakthrough against COVID-19 from Israel, a Canadian firm is reported to have claimed to have come up with a vaccine to fight the novel coronavirus outbreak. According to media reports, the Canadian company said that it would be ready to begin human trials and testing this summer.

The company in question, Medicago reported that it managed to successfully produce a particle similar to the novel Coronavirus which is seen as the primary step in coming up with a vaccine. The next step is to run the vaccine through pre-clinical testing for safety, as also effectiveness.

Medicago is reported to have claimed that the company would be ready for human trials and testing by July or August. This would be subject to approvals from Health Canada and other agencies.

Medicago is further said to have claimed that the vaccine could be market-ready by November 2021. The firm currently is said to have the capacity to produce close to 20 lakh doses per month from its Quebec plant.

Experts say that a timeline of one and a half to two years as stated by the company is a realistic one even if all approvals and trials are expedited.

The Regional Director of World Health Organisation, (WHO) South-east Asia, Poonam Khetrapal Singh told a TV channel on Friday that there are close to 20 vaccine-candidates from various companies across the world. Singh said that if all trials and approvals were to be speeded up, a vaccine could be market-ready in 18 months to 2 years.