Finding a vaccine against Covid-19, the big laboratories dream of it. The director of a major Russian research center told Vladimir Putin on Tuesday that he was ready to test experimental vaccines against the new coronavirus as early as June.
Rinat Maksioutov, head of the Vektor state center, said during a meeting between the Russian president and the directors of the country's main research centers to plan a first phase of clinical trials of three vaccines from June 29 on a sample of 180 volunteers.
“Volunteer groups have already been created. We have received over 300 applications, ”he told Vladimir Putin.
According to Rinat Maksioutov, scientists at his laboratory near the Siberian city of Novosibirsk have developed prototype vaccines based on six technology platforms. Tests are currently underway on mice, rabbits, and other animals to determine the most promising prototype by April 30.
Biological weapons during the Soviet period
The boss of Vektor added that the laboratory plans to conduct pre-clinical studies by June 22, just before the tests on humans. Rinat Maksioutov even said that the first tests on humans could start as early as May "if the Ministry of Health authorizes it".
According to him, Vektor has vaccine technologies tested on humans for other diseases that could be used to develop the one against the coronavirus. "We have the possibility of modeling the vaccines on the basis of other already existing and registered, with therefore the possibility of reducing the pre-clinical studies and moving to clinical trials", added the Minister of Health, Mikhaïl Mourachko, at this meeting.
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"If we act competently and in an organized and disciplined manner, we will pass this difficult stage in the life of our country with minimal losses," said Vladimir Putin.
During the Soviet period, Vektor had carried out secret research on biological weapons. He holds samples of various viruses ranging from smallpox to Ebola.
Russia currently has 7,497 confirmed coronavirus cases and 58 deaths to be reported.