Preclinical
vaccines not yet in human trials
142
Phase 1
vaccines in small-scale safety trials
35
Phase 2
vaccines in expanded safety trials
19
Phase 3
vaccines in large-scale efficacy trials
11
Approved
vaccines approved for general use
0
Source: WHO. Last update 30 Sep.
Researchers around the world are rushing to develop a vaccine for Covid-19, with more than 170 vaccine candidates now being tracked by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Vaccines normally take years of testing and additional time to be produced on a large scale, but scientists hope to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus within 12 to 18 months.
Vaccines mimic the virus – or part of the virus – that they protect against, stimulating the immune system to develop antibodies. They must meet higher safety standards than other drugs because they are given to millions of healthy people.
Recent vaccine news
The WHO has said it does not expect widespread vaccinations against the coronavirus until mid-2021.
How are vaccines tested?
in the preclinical stage In tests, researchers give the vaccine to animals to see if it triggers an immune response.
In phase 1 In clinical trials, the vaccine is given to a small group of people to determine if it is safe and to learn more about the immune response it elicits.
In phase 2, the vaccine is given to hundreds of people so that scientists can learn more about its safety and correct dosage.
In phase 3, the vaccine is given to thousands of people to confirm its safety – including its rare side effects – and its effectiveness. These trials involve a control group that receives a placebo.
Vaccines in clinical trials
Current phase
Phase completed
University of Oxford / AstraZeneca
BioNTech / Fosun Pharma / Pfizer
CanSino Biologics Inc./ Beijing Biotechnology Institute
Wuhan Institute of Biologics / Sinopharm
Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies
Gamaleya Research Institute
Beijing Institute of Biologics / Sinopharm
Institute for Research on Biosafety Problems, Republic of Kazakhstan
Inovio Pharmaceuticals / Institut international des vaccins
Osaka University / AnGes / Takara Bio
Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
SpyBiotech / Serum Institute of India
Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical / Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Kentucky Bioprocessing, Inc
Cadila Healthcare Limited
Beijing Wantai Organic Pharmacy / Xiamen University
Clover Biopharmaceuticals Inc./GSK/Dynavax
VECTEUR FBRI SRC VB, Rospotrebnadzor, Koltsovo
West China Hospital, Sichuan University
ReiThera / LEUKOCARE / Univercells
Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corporation / NIAID / Dynavax
Institut Pasteur / Themis / Univ. de Pittsburg CVR / Merck Sharp & Dohme
Tuebingen University Hospital
Institute of Biotechnology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, PLA of China
Finlay Vaccine Institute, Cuba
University of Queensland / CSL / Seqirus
People’s Liberation Army (APL) / Walvax Biotech Academy of Military Sciences.
University of Melbourne / Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
Source: WHO. Last update 30 Sep.
