When will a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine be available?
A novel vaccine platform requires careful evaluation and should ideally include toxicological studies in valid animal models. Early progress towards SARS vaccines has facilitated a “running start” but standards of care and safety must be maintained. Acceleration rather than omission of clinical trials is key. Preliminary data from Oxford University is anticipated by mid-2020.203 Of note, a dose-escalation, single-center, open-label, non-randomized, phase 1 was conducted in 108 healthy individuals that received an Ad5 vectored COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine was tolerable and immunogenic at 28 days post-vaccination. SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies peaked at day 28 post-vaccination and specific T-cell responses were detected from day 14 post-vaccination.209