Imperial College London reaches 'significant milestone' after safely delivering first dose of coronavirus vaccine
Imperial College London has "reached a significant milestone" after delivering a small dose of its coronavirus vaccine candidate to the first healthy volunteer in its trial. So far, all has gone according to plan. The clinical team is closely monitoring the participant's health, which remains in good condition, and there are no safety concerns.
Developing a vaccine for the COVID-19 virus is crucial during the pandemic, and it's worth keeping an eye on every effort. But Imperial College's candidate stands out because it's based on a new self-amplifying RNA technology, which has never before been involved in human trials. If it proves safe and effective, Imperial College believes it could revolutionize — and reduce the cost of — vaccine development, allowing scientists to take on emerging diseases like COVID-19 much more quickly in the future.
The initial volunteer will receive a booster shot in four weeks, and several other volunteers will enter the trial to further assess the vaccine's safety and find the right dosage. Then, in the next few weeks, Imperial College will administer doses to 300 healthy volunteers. If that goes well, larger trials will take place throughout the year. Read more about Imperial College's vaccine development here.
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