Russia ready to start testing coronavirus vaccines

The head of a top Russian research center told President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday that his lab was ready to start human trials of experimental coronavirus vaccines in June.

Rinat Maksyutov, head of the Vektor State Virology and Biotechnology Center, said his facility proposed first-phase clinical trials of three vaccines from June 29, on 180 volunteers.

Maksyutov was speaking during a video-link meeting between Putin and the heads of top research centers.

"Groups of volunteers have already been formed," he told Putin, adding that a lot of people wanted to take part in the trials.

"We have already received more than 300 applications."

Maksyutov said scientists at the top-secret lab complex located in Koltsovo outside the Siberian city of Novosibirsk had developed several prototype vaccines

Tests were currently underway on mice, rabbits and other animals to determine the most promising by April 30, he said.

Vektor planned pre-clinical studies by June 22 before launching the testing in humans, Maksyutov added.



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