Potential COVID-19 vaccine from China shows promise in animal trials – The Hill

Chinese researchers who are developing a coronavirus vaccine say it showed promise in animal trials, according to a study published Saturday in the medical journal Cell as The Hill reports. 

The article states that the "potential vaccine, called BBIBP-CorV, reportedly produced antibodies that fought against the virus in monkeys, rats, guinea pigs and rabbits."

Key notes

'These results support the further evaluation of BBIBP-CorV in a clinical trial,' researchers said in the paper. 

The vaccine is being developed by the Beijing Institute of Biological Products, which is a unit of the China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm). It is one of five vaccine candidates that is being tested in the country. 

Additionally, the article goes on to explain that there are more than 100 potential vaccines in works worldwide, about five of which are in different stages of development around the US.

Moderna, the American biotech company working on a vaccine with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), announced Wednesday that it will begin the final testing stages in July. 

In its previous phase, Moderna's vaccine showed promising results when tested on animals, much like BBIBP-CorV.

John Mascola, the director of the vaccine research center at NIAID, told The Wall Street Journal that the trials will involve about 30,000 people at more than 50 sites, which will mostly be within the US .

Market implications

Investors seeking bullish markets need some good news following a sobering 24-hours in the markets. More on this here: Biggest decline in the S&P 500 since mid-March, losers fit well with second virus wave fears