Malaysia is developing two types of vaccines to counter the Covid-19 virus. The first vaccine will undergo pre-clinical trials on laboratory mice next month and the trials are expected to be completed by next year.

This is also an inactivated vaccine similar to the Sinovac-CoronaVac-vaccine, which uses viruses that have been killed by chemicals, heat or radiation to trigger an immune response in humans.

Clinical trials involving humans are only expected to be carried out in the second half of next year.

The second is an mRNA (messenger RNA) vaccine, which is exclusively being undertaken by the Institute of Medical Research (IMR).

Such mRNA vaccines, like that developed by Pfizer-BionTech “teach” the cells of the body how to make a protein that triggers an immune response inside human bodies.

These tests involving the proposed inactivated vaccine are being developed by the IMR with the Ministry of Health, University Putra Malaysia and the Veterinary Research Institute.

Clinical trials for both vaccines will be conducted by the Institute of Clinical Research at the National Institute of Health and Clinical Research Malaysia.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE