Trials may start next month but ‘cure’ could take at least a year

VOLUNTEERS

In America, Seattle biotech firm Moderna is recruiting 45 volunteers to test its experimental vaccine and in Pennsylvania Inovio is developing a Dna-based vaccine, producing 3,000 doses for trials next month.

In India, Zydus Cadila aims to manipulate a measles virus to produce antibodies against corona while in China four teams are using immune-activating technology from a Florida firm.

Denmark’s Expres2ion is using insect cells to tackle the problem while researchers in Queensland, Australia, are using a “molecular clamp”.

PM Boris Johnson yesterday pledged a further £46million for research to fight the virus.

He announced the funding during a tour of the Mologic lab in Bedfordshire which is working on a quick and cheap way to diagnose patients. In a statement he said: “Keeping people safe is my number one priority and that’s why I’ve set out our four-part plan to contain, delay, mitigate and research coronavirus.

“We are ensuring the country is prepared for the current outbreak, guided by the science at every stage. But we also need to invest in researching the vaccines that could prevent future outbreaks.

“I’m very proud that UK experts – backed by Government funding – are on the front line of global efforts to do just that.”

Speaking to reporters, Mr Johnson added: “What we are announcing today is a £46million package of investment which will in time deliver a vaccine – some say in about a year – but also help us to have rapid test kits that anyone can use quickly to tell whether they have coronavirus.”

The PM warned of a “substantial period of disruption”. Asked what help would be given to struggling firms, he said next week’s budget presented “a big opportunity”.

Scientists have learned lessons from previous virus outbreaks – such as the 2002 Sars crisis – and already had a game plan when the full gravity of corona emerged.

Within days of the outbreak in China a genetic blueprint of the virus was put online using samples from early patients. It provided a road map for scientists around the world to create a vaccine.

This kind of research is usually highly competitive and secretive.

In the past, medical journals would only publish research which

VITAL Quick way to test By number of countries affected December 31 (first case reported in China) March 5 (countries affected in total) January 25 (France has first case in Europe) 31 January (first case in UK) PLEDGE PM at lab in Bedford yesterday February 27 (virus spreads across Middle East and Europe)

TEST Doc checks results