모데나 백신 첫 단계 통과, 국제백신연구원장과 인터뷰
So, what does Moderna Labs' achievement mean? How hopeful can we be and what does it mean for those us here in Korea?
Our Kim Do-yeon spoke with Jerome Kim, Director General of the International Vaccine Institute.
U.S. based biotech company, Moderna announced on Monday that its early results were promising from Phase One of its trials, which ensure the vaccine is safe.
We had the director general from the International Vaccine Institute, Doctor Jerome Kim, explain to us what this means.
"Moderna's data's are hopeful, you know they're the first report in humans.. a good response to a vaccine. Uhm, but remember that their trial has 45 people in it and they're reporting only on 8 people. They do tell us that the vaccine is making infection fighting proteins called antibodies."
Phase 2 and phase 3 increase the size of the group being tested, and focus on its ability to create immunity from the virus. Following a successful phase 3, the vaccine will be mass-produced for the general population.
Doctor Kim explained to us how the vaccines will protect communities.
"Uhm what we do when we vaccinate, say an entire city, is, you know some people who are vaccinated will be protected, but they will also protect the people who are not vaccinated, and you know you've heard about this in COVID-19 because they call it the herd effect."
He also gave the possible timeline for the vaccine development.
"Everything goes as scheduled, some people have said it would be 6 months.. those people started in April so I think they are expecting that they will have an answer that their vaccine works by October."
He added that more time will be required to manufacture the vaccines.
At the moment there are more than 100 institutes involved in developing a vaccine for COVID-19, and some Chinese companies are already moving on to phase two trials.
"Dr. Kim said Korean companies are also in the race to make a vaccine. But they will have to work with partners overseas as the lack of COVID-19 cases in Korea means large-scale human trials will need to be done outside of the country."
Kim Doyeon, Arirang News
