A team of scientists developing an oral COVID-19 vaccine may apply to conduct clinical trials in the country by the third or fourth quarter of this year if it gets enough data, an OCTA research fellow says
OCTA fellow Fr. Nicano Austriaco said he and his team in the United States already completed the oral vaccine last week. They will now begin animal trials at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila to determine if it will draw an immune response to the coronavirus.
"This will take several months here in [The University of Santo Tomas]," Austriaco told CNN Philippines'on Tuesday."Our hope is by the third or fourth quarter, we will have good animal data that would allow us to apply for permission from the national government to conduct clinical trials here in our beloved country.", Austriaco said the developing vaccine is meant to be an inexpensive alternative to the vaccines currently available. Austriaco – a molecular biologist – previously explained they used human probiotic yeast to express a fragment of the SARS-CoV-2, hoping to stimulate an immune or protective response. He also said since the national government prioritized Metro Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Rizal, and Cavite, or NCR Plus, as well as Davao and Cebu in the vaccination, improvements in the COVID-19 situation in these areas may become evident by October. He cited data in Israel saying effects of vaccination manifested after doses were administered to 40 to 50% of the population. A"normal" Christmas may also be possible if the country reaches herd immunity before the holidays, he added.
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