Researchers in Maryland are working on Covid-19 vaccine

Researches around the world are trying to find a cure for coronavirus that has taken the lives of thousands of people. So far in the United States there are more than 160,000 thousand cases as two Maryland biotech firms said on Tuesday that they will be joining forces to make a vaccine against the Covid-19.

Emergent BioSolutions Inc. will start testing a vaccine that was developed by Novavax Inc. to protect against Covid-19 by using a genetically engineered protein nanoparticle technology. Government officials say it will be a year to a year and a half before one is developed, tested for safety and efficacy and manufactured for public use.

The company in-charge said that the testing in humans for safety, a phase 1 trial, could begin in the next four months. Emergent has been working with many federal government agencies to produce vaccines to counter public health threats and develop new defenses against the Zika and Ebola viruses.

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“The increasing threat of Covid-19 requires a comprehensive response and we continue to evaluate various vaccines, therapeutics, and approaches to enable us to marshal resources to make a meaningful impact on this global public health emergency,” said Robert G. Kramer Sr., Emergent’s president and CEO, in a statement.

Novavax also announced Tuesday that it was awarded $4 million to accelerate coronavirus vaccine development from the foundation Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and the pair were in discussions about additional funding for the coming trial.

Dr. Kathleen Neuzil, director of the Maryland center, is co-leading the project, has said the group’s vaccine will be based on a vaccine for another coronavirus and the initial trial would be in the spring.

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