Japan is speeding up development of its own COVID-19 vaccine

#accelerate#pharmaceutical#ensure
Some Japanese pharmaceutical companies are speeding up the development of their own COVID-19 vaccines, with the Japanese government giving a strong push to vaccine development. Health ministry officials said this was to ensure domestic vaccine supplies.
Japanese government sources told reporters in late May that the government decided to provide subsidies to pharmaceutical companies to promote vaccine development and large-scale production.
"In terms of securing the necessary dose of vaccine, it would be better to have domestically produced vaccines from Japanese companies," Kyodo news agency reported on June 3, citing a health ministry official.
According to the World Health Organization, there are more than 120 vaccine candidates in development worldwide, a small number of which have begun clinical trials. However, given global demand, Tokyo is concerned it may not be able to secure domestic consumption if it relies on foreign suppliers.
Shionoyoshi is working on a recombinant protein vaccine, which it expects to have clinical trials by the end of the year and be available next fall. Shiono plans to produce enough vaccine for 10 million people starting in 2021.
KM Bio, a unit of Meiji Holdings LTD., focuses on inactivated vaccines and is preparing to start clinical trials next spring or later. The company is collaborating with the University of Tokyo and the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Japan to conduct animal tests and is expected to complete them by March next year.
Meanwhile, KM Bio said it is willing to open its production facilities to any company that successfully develops a COVID-19 vaccine. The facility could produce enough new influenza vaccine for 57 million people within six months.
Tanabe's Canadian arm is looking at plant-based vaccines, currently in animal trials. ID Pharmaceutical based in Tokyo is also working with the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Japan to develop a vaccine.
In addition to vaccines, Japanese drug companies are also pushing research into treatments. Companies such as Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. and Japan New Drug Corp. have released plans to develop new drugs.
Around the world, many countries are pushing ahead with vaccine research. Experts stressed that strengthening international cooperation is crucial to speed up COVID-19 vaccine efforts.
The Gamalya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology and the Ministry of Defense expect to complete clinical trials of a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of July, said Sergei Borisevich, director of the 48th Central Scientific Institute under the Ministry of Defense.
TASS reported Thursday that Russia is currently developing nine vaccines from three research institutes, eight of which have been registered with the World Health Organization.
Wendy Sammons-Jackson, director of the MILITARY's Infectious Disease Research Program, said Tuesday that "some form of vaccine" could be available before the end of the year for certain groups in the United States.
The U.S. military is working with a number of international drug companies to develop the vaccine, including Astrazeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Modena. In addition, the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Agency are assisting companies in developing COVID-19 vaccines and treatments.