While several countries and companies around the world race to develop an effective COVID-19 vaccine, the intelligence agency of Israel, Mossad has brought the Coronavirus vaccine developed by China to the Middle Eastern country in recent weeks for study.
The race for the Coronavirus vaccine has started several months ago, but still the world is eagerly waiting for an effective and safe vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Almost all the countries have started the development process of their own vaccine including Russia, the US, the UK, China, Canada, India and others.
As reported the intelligence agency of Israel has brought the Chinese vaccine in order to study and learn from it. A senior Health Ministry official confirmed that the country is trying to reach agreements to buy COVID-19 vaccines from potential developers.
The official said there are many diplomatic efforts going on "behind the scenes," and Israel is "trying everything we can to ensure Israeli citizens have access to a vaccine as soon as possible."
Israel Coronavirus Vaccine
On Sunday, October 25 the Israel Institute for Biological Research announced that it will start human trials of the country's own Coronavirus vaccine—which is named Brilif—next week. As reported this vaccine has received all necessary approvals from the Israel Health Ministry as well as the Helsinki Committee which deals with medical experiments on humans.
Country's Defense Minister Benny Gantz said, "This is a day of hope for the citizens of Israel. Just two months ago, I received the first bottle of the vaccine. Today, we already have 25,000 vaccine doses."
IIBR Director General Professor Shmuel Shapira explained what Brilife means—'bri' means health, while 'il' stands for Israel and 'life'. The Defence Minister acknowledged those dozens of researchers who worked day and night to make the vaccine. He also said that "in this complex period, you [researchers] are the unit that paves the way for the citizens of Israel."
Phase 1 human trial will be launched on November 1 and will last for several months. It will be conducted at the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer and Jerusalem's Hadassah-University Medical Center--involving 80 healthy volunteers between the age of 18 and 55 and on the first day two people will receive the experimental vaccine.
The vaccine candidate will be divided into groups involving 40 people at each medical center and each of them will receive Brilife while some will get the placebo.
The second phase of the trial will be launched after the completion of the first one. In the second phase, which is expected to start in December 960 healthy volunteers will be involved. After two phases are successful, a phase 3 trial will begin involving 30,000 volunteers in April or May of next year.
