On Monday, March 16th, in perhaps what is a major milestone in taming the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), Scientists at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Research Institute began their first human trial to evaluate a candidate vaccine against the disease.
“The open-label trial will enroll 45 healthy adult volunteers ages 18 to 55 years over approximately 6 weeks,” the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) said in a statement.
If the vaccine is successful, Dr. Anthony Fauci of the U.S. National Institutes of Health says It wouldn’t be available for widespread use for 12 to 18 months.
The vaccine is called mRNA-1273 and was developed by NIH scientists and collaborators at biotechnology company Moderna, which is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts and funded by Oslo-based Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).
“Finding a safe and effective vaccine to prevent infection with SARS-CoV-2 is an urgent public health priority,” Dr. Anthony said.
The tests will involve 45 volunteers getting two doses, each a month apart.
Dozens of research groups around the world are racing to create a vaccine against COVID-19. Another vaccine, made by Inovio Pharmaceuticals, is expected to begin its own safety study — in the U.S., China, and South Korea — next month.
