Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline join hands to speed up COVID-19 vaccine
Image For Representation
Image For Representation (Image by Jason Taix from Pixabay)
London: Pharmaceutical giants Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) on Tuesday joined hands to speed up and develop an adjuvanted vaccine for COVID-19 disease.
The candidate vaccine is expected to enter clinical trials in the second half of 2020 and, if successful, would be available in the second half of 2021, the two companies said in a statement.
Sanofi will contribute its S-protein COVID-19 antigen, which is based on recombinant DNA technology while GSK will contribute its proven pandemic adjuvant technology.
“As the world faces this unprecedented global health crisis, it is clear that no one company can go it alone.” says Paul Hudson, Chief Executive Officer, Sanofi.
The pandemic has infected close to 20 lakh people globally, killing over 1.21 lakh, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
“That is why Sanofi is continuing to complement its expertise and resources with our peers, such as GSK, with the goal to create and supply sufficient quantities of vaccines that will help stop this virus,” Hudson added.
Nearly 44 COVID-19 vaccines are currently under various stages of development and scientists say that it will take 12-18 months before the world sees a successful one.
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