World's first coronavirus vaccine? Italian scientists claim they have developed it

A team of Italian scientists has claimed it has discovered the world's first vaccine that can neutralise coronavirus. Italian scientists at Rome's Spallanzani Hospital have claimed that they are the first to neutralise the virus via a vaccine and that the initial results were "encouraging and beyond expectations". They said after mice were injected the vaccines, they produced antibodies that could also block the virus from infecting humans.  After experimenting with the five best candidates that produced antibodies, two of them were selected as final candidates. The scientists claim the vaccine candidates could also adapt to COVID-19 evolutions and even mutations.

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This is for the first time that a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) candidate vaccine has capability to neutralise the deadly virus in human cells, Luigi Aurisicchio, CEO of Takis, the firm developing the medication, told the country's news agency ANSA. He added this was the most advanced stage of testing of a candidate vaccine and could begin human trials in Italy after this summer.

Also read: Coronavirus: 8 vaccines in human trials, 100 in preclinical stage

Not only Italy but many other countries including the US, the UK and Israel are claiming to have developed vaccines and crucial drugs to treat the deadly virus. Israel's Defence Minister Naftali Bennett said on Monday that the country's scientists had made a 'significant breakthrough' in coronavirus treatment by isolating a key antibody at its biological research laboratory. The monoclonal neutralising antibody developed at the Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR) could neutralise the disease-causing coronavirus inside carriers' bodies, Bennett told the Israeli media.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) on May 2 allowed emergency use of the experimental drug Remdesivir to treat coronavirus patients. The decision was taken after some studies, including one led by an Indian-American physician Aruna Subramanian, found the drug Remdesivir shortened the recovery time for the hospitalised patients with severe coronavirus infection.  Scientists at Jenner Institute of Oxford University also claim to have made a potential vaccine for coronavirus.

Also read: Israel makes progress in coronavirus vaccine search; defence minister claims 'significant breakthrough'

INDIA CORONAVIRUS TRACKER: BusinessToday.In brings you a daily tracker as coronavirus cases continue to spread. Here is the state-wise data on total cases, fatalities and recoveries in one comprehensive graphic.

Edited by Manoj Sharma