On April 2, 2020, the researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine announced that they have produced a potentially promising vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, an emerging pathogen causing COVID-19 pandemic with exponentially increasing significance due to its high fatality rate, the large distribution of reservoir, and the lack of medical countermeasures.

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The researchers have now started the process of applying for an investigational new drug approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in anticipation of starting a phase 1 human clinical trial in the next few months.

The vaccine tests in mice through fingertip-sized patches produced antibodies specific to SARS-CoV-2 at quantities thought to be sufficient for neutralising the virus. EBioMedicine, The Lancet group journal published this first such study simultaneously after it underwent appropriate peer review by fellow scientists at outside institutions.

Early studies

The researchers could create the vaccine quickly as they had already laid the groundwork during earlier coronavirus epidemics.