Three vaccines enter 2nd phase of trials in China

Three vaccines - one adenovirus vector and two inactivated - have entered phase two of clinical trials in China, and more research is needed to evaluate their safety and efficacy, a researcher said on Monday. 

Wang Guiqiang, director of infectious diseases at Peking University's First Hospital, said that China has five types of vaccines in development, and they are progressing smoothly. 

The vector vaccine is spearheaded by senior preventive medicine expert Chen Wei. One inactivated vaccine is created by the Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co Ltd, and the other is by Sinovac Research and Development Co Ltd, he said at a news briefing.

Wang said that China is also testing convalescent plasma transfusion, stem cell therapy, and monoclonal antibodies to treat COVID-19. Around 600 to 700 patients have received plasma transfusions and seen their symptoms improve.

Stem cells have been used to repair a patient's tissues and ease inflammation in over 200 patients, he added.