Coronavirus vaccine: Chinese candidate shows promise in animal trials

A potential Chinese vaccine to treat novel coronavirus has shown promise in animals trials, triggering an immune system, a peer-reviewed study found.

ARCoV is developed using technology similar to other COVID-19 vaccine candidates: Moderna and BioNtech and Pfizer.

The trials in monkeys and mice, published in the medical journal Cell on Thursday, found both single and two-dose inoculations triggered strong antibody and T-cell responses against many COVID-19-causing virus strains.

However, the study couldn't find for how long the antibodies last or how effective their protection might be to other strains that cause coronavirus but were not tested in the study.

Researchers also said the drug is stable at 25°C (77°F) for at least a week, implying it could be easily ciruclated in hard-to-reach regions where cold-chain storage and transporation remain an issue.

Presently, there are over 150 potential COVID-19 vaccines that are in the race to treat novel coronavirus that has killled more than 600,000 people across the world.