British scientists developing coronavirus vaccine which could be available by the summer
BRITISH scientists are leading the fight against coronavirus by developing vaccines and trialling drugs that may boost recovery.
Oxford University researchers are planning a human trial of what is expected to be the UK’s first coronavirus vaccine next month.
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It will start animal trials next week at Public Health England’s Porton Down lab, near Salisbury, Wilts.
The coronavirus vaccine could be available by summer — much quicker than the 12 to 18-month wait for a jab that Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK’s chief scientific adviser, has predicted.
The Oxford vaccine, known as ChAdOx1, is one of five frontrunner vaccines in development around the world.
Researcher Prof Adrian Hill said: “The more vaccine we can provide sooner, the better.”
UK biotech firm Synairgen will trial its experimental lung drug SNG001 on Covid-19 patients from Monday.
The inhaled treatment has been developed for chronic- obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), a severe lung disease.
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It is designed to boost the patient’s immune system to help them fight off the virus and could be widely available by the end of the year.
US firms are also trialling potential treatments, while some Chinese doctors are trying malaria drug chloroquine.
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