CSIRO scientists have started the first stage of testing for two vaccine candidates at the agency’s high-containment biosecurity facility in Geelong.
The pre-clinical trials, which are expected to take three months, will use animal subjects to test whether the potential vaccines from the University of Oxford and Inovio Pharmaceuticals are safe and effective.
Meanwhile, a “significant supply” of the drug hydroxychloroquine will soon be available in Australia to help doctors battle the coronavirus pandemic, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt told A Current Affair on Wednesday night.
The advice Hunt and the government have received is that experts are “cautiously hopeful” hydroxychloroquine can have an impact against the virus.
The minister pointed to “promising trials” being conducted with the drug overseas and said the new supply of the drug to Australia will allow the nation to expand on such trials.
