Pre-clinical
vaccines not yet in human trials 138
Phase 1
vaccines in small-scale safety trials 25
Phase 2
vaccines in expanded safety trials 15
Phase 3
vaccines in large-scale efficacy trials 7
Approved
vaccines approved for general use 0
Source: WHO. Last updated 17 Aug 2020
Researchers around the world are racing to develop a vaccine against Covid-19, with more than 170 candidate vaccines now tracked by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Vaccines normally require years of testing and additional time to produce at scale, but scientists are hoping to develop a coronavirus vaccine within 12 to 18 months.
Vaccines mimic the virus – or part of the virus – they protect against, stimulating the immune system to develop antibodies. They must follow higher safety standards than other drugs because they are given to millions of healthy people.
Recent vaccine news
Russian health authorities have approved a coronavirus vaccine which has yet to complete clinical trials. 2 weeks ago
Russian health authorities have approved a coronavirus vaccine which has yet to complete clinical trials. 2 weeks ago
How are vaccines tested?
In the pre-clinical stage of testing, researchers give the vaccine to animals to see if it triggers an immune response.
In phase 1 of clinical testing, the vaccine is given to a small group of people to determine whether it is safe and to learn more about the immune response it provokes.
In phase 2, the vaccine is given to hundreds of people so 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 rare side effects – and effectiveness. These trials involve a control group which is given a placebo.
Vaccines in clinical trials
Phase in progress
Phase completed
University of Oxford/AstraZeneca
The University of Oxford vaccine is delivered via a chimpanzee virus, called the vaccine vector. The vector contains the genetic code of the protein spikes found on the coronavirus and triggers a strong immune response in the human body. The vaccine is in a combined phase 2/3 trial in the UK and has recently gone into phase 3 trials in South Africa and Brazil.
BioNTech/Fosun Pharma/Pfizer
Moderna/NIAID
American biotech company Moderna is developing a vaccine candidate using messenger RNA (or mRNA for short) to trick the body into producing viral proteins itself. No mRNA vaccine has ever been approved for an infectious disease, and Moderna has never brought a product to market. But proponents of the vaccine say it could be easier to mass produce than traditional vaccines.
Sinovac
Chinese company Sinovac is developing a vaccine based on inactivated Covid-19 particles. The vaccine has shown a promising safety profile in the early stages of testing and is now moving into Phase 3 trials in Brazil.
Beijing Institute of Biological Products/Sinopharm
Wuhan Institute of Biological Products/Sinopharm
CanSino Biologics Inc./Beijing Institute of Biotechnology
Novavax
Arcturus/Duke-NUS
Cadila Healthcare Limited
Osaka University/ AnGes/ Takara Bio
Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies
Kentucky Bioprocessing, Inc
Bharat Biotech
Inovio Pharmaceuticals/ International Vaccine Institute
Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical/Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Genexine Consortium
Medicago Inc.
Vaxine Pty Ltd/Medytox
University of Queensland/CSL/Seqirus
Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corporation/NIAID/Dynavax
People's Liberation Army (PLA) Academy of Military Sciences/Walvax Biotech.
Curevac
Imperial College London
Institute Pasteur/Themis/Univ. of Pittsburg CVR/Merck Sharp & Dohme
Clover Biopharmaceuticals Inc./GSK/Dynavax
ReiThera/LEUKOCARE/Univercells
Gamaleya Research Institute
University of Melbourne/Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
The Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Australia is conducting a phase 3 trial using a nearly 100-year-old tuberculosis vaccine. The vaccine is not thought to protect directly against Covid-19 but might boost the body’s non-specific immune response.
Source: WHO. Last updated 17 Aug
