Russia's Gamaleya Center Plans To Complete MERS Vaccine Trials By End Of 2020

Russia's Gamaleya Center Plans to Complete MERS Vaccine Trials by End of 2020

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd August, 2020) Clinical trials of a vaccine for the middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), developed by the Gamaleya Institute of Epidemiology and which became a basis for a coronavirus vaccine, are expected to be over by the end of the year, Alexander Gintsburg, the director of the research center, told Sputnik on Monday.

"The second phase is underway, 220 people have already received this vaccine a long time ago, even before the situation with the coronavirus. I think that by the end of the year the tests will be completed," Gintsburg said.

The Gamaleya center director added that trials have been successful, and that the MERS vaccine became a foundation for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Earlier in August, Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said that clinical trials of the COVID-19 vaccine, developed by the Gamaleya center, have been completed, adding that preparations for the registration of the vaccine were underway.