Biotechnology organization Biocad is discussing the production in China of a COVID-19 vaccine being developed through the State Institute of Russian Vector Virology, the director of the St. Petersburg-based company said in an interview.
The prospective vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) vaccine is expected to go into clinical trials in mid-August, Biocad executive director Dmitry Morozov said. The vaccine is one of six prototype vaccines being developed by the Vector Institute, according to a list from the World Health Organization.
Biocad is preparing to produce four to five million doses consistent with the month of the VSV vaccine until the end of this year, if the initial tests turn out to be effective, Morozov said.
Visit our coronavirus here for the latest updates.
Biocad plans to manage the industrial-scale production of the vaccine internally, from the manufacture of the viral strain in its bioreactors to the registration and packaging, Morozov said.
“We can do it all at our current facilities,” Morozov said, adding there was no need to expand their production capacity to meet output targets.
“We have won requests for export deliveries thanks to the good fortune of this vaccine system … countries and personal companies,” Morozov said, adding that Biocad had won applications from Egypt, South Africa and Thailand.
For all newer titles, stay on our Google News channel online or in the app.
Biocad is in talks on the production of the Vector VSV vaccine in China, where it has a joint venture with Shanghai Pharma presented in September last year. Shanghai Pharma not without delay to comment.
Read more:
Coronavirus: Moderna receives $472 million eulogy for vaccine development
Coronavirus: International cases of COVID-19 exceed 1 million as pandemic grows: AFP count
Clinical trials on some other Vector Institute prototypes began Monday, state customer protection regulator Rospotrebnadzor said, without offering additional details.
Small bottles labeled with “Vaccine” stickers were noticed near a medical syringe in front of the words “Coronavirus COVID-19” shown in this representation taken on April 10, 2020. (Reuters)