Medical Research Agency starts its own project dedicated to initiation of works on inventing a vaccine against coronavirus
The Medical Research Agency, in agreement with prof. Łukasz Szumowski, the Minister of Health, has prepared its own project of preparation a vaccine against coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2 virus).
The aim of the project is getting Polish scientific centres involved in the worldwide research on the effective vaccine against coronavirus causing the infectious COVID-19 disease.
According to the WHO report, as of 8 March 2020, infections of patients with SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus were confirmed by laboratories in over 100 countries, and the total number of patients reached over 105,000, and over 3,500 of them died. In Poland, the "zero" patient was identified on Wednesday, 4 March 2020. Currently, epidemiological services report more than 25 cases of infections found in patients.
"Due to the epidemic crisis, the Medical Research Agency has to react quickly and create a dedicated programme that will initiate involvement of Polish scientists into international research on the vaccine against CoV-2. We have entered into talks with Americans concerning joint research and we hope we will observe the effects soon. If necessary, we will dynamically increase dedicated financial resources" - stressed Radosław Sierpiński, MD, PhD - Acting President of the Medical Research Agency.
Due to the fast-growing number of infections around the world, intense works on learning the SARS-CoV-2 virus biology and creating an effective vaccine against COVID-19 are necessary.
In respond to the epidemic crisis the Medical Research Agency is undertaking actions aimed at international cooperation and participation of Polish scientists in international research works on the coronavirus. As Radosław Sierpiński said, the Medical Research Agency has already started negotiations with Americans, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Dr Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Washington and with agents of the European Commission and European medical universities as well as with the embassy of China.
The joint actions are supposed to facilitate coordination of activities undertaken in fight with the virus and will contribute to development of a vaccine against COVID-19, thus enabling Polish participation in the works done all around the world.
The project implemented by the Medical Research Agency will enable joining forces of the best centres in the world, exploiting the potential of the Polish scientists in the most important works on developing the vaccine against COVID-19 and using the experience gained so far during implementation of other epidemiological studies.