S’pore Will Get ‘First Claim’ to a COVID-19 Vaccine As It’s Funding the Project

At a time when millions are infected and hundreds of thousands are dying from a deadly virus, only one thing can save the day.

And unlike what your uncle says on WhatsApp, it’s not hot water or beer.

I’m talking, of course, about a vaccine.

Our hearts used to leap for joy whenever we saw the words “discount” or “bubble tea deal”, but these days, only a vaccine can lift our spirits.

According to The Guardian, there are over 140 candidate vaccines being developed around the world, with 7 in its final phase of clinical trials.

Fortunately for us, there’s one vaccine out there with our name on it.

S’pore Will Get ‘First Claim’ to a COVID-19 Vaccine As It’s Funding the Project

Singapore will get the first claim to a successful Covid-19 vaccine developed by U.S. pharmaceutical company Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings, according to Bloomberg.

This is because Singapore funded and helped develop the vaccine, said the CEO of the company, Joseph Payne.

The vaccine, which is called LUNAR-COV19, is being jointly developed by Duke-NUS Medical School and Arcturus.

On 21 July, they released a joint statement announcing their vaccine had received approval from the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) to proceed with clinical trials.

If the vaccine is successful, Singapore would get first claim to it because the country had given Arcturus a grant of US$10 million (S$13.7 million) to fund the vaccine’s development, according to The San Diego Union Tribune.

Funded by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), only part of the grant was paid in advance, and the remainder will be paid based on milestones achieved.

The San Diego Union Tribune reports that the Singapore government will own the rights to the vaccine within its borders, but Arcturus will be free to market it globally.

Why is a Vaccine Taking so Long?

You’re probably wondering why it’s taking so long to develop a successful vaccine.

But actually, the speed at which some companies are developing Covid-19 vaccines is unprecedented (never seen before) because it usually takes two-to-five years.

Some vaccines can even take up to 10 years to develop.

The Arcturus vaccine is still in the early stages of human trials, which is due to be completed in October.

This is what’s known as Phase 1 of the clinical trials, where the vaccine is administered to a small group of people to determine whether it is safe and provokes a strong enough immune response.

In Phase 2, the vaccine is given to hundreds of people so researchers can learn more about its safety and the correct dosage, according to The Guardian.

The vaccine will then be given to thousands of people in Phase 3 to confirm its safety, effectiveness, and if there are any rare side effects.

Single-Dose Vaccine

Bloomberg reported that Arcturus and Duke-NUS aim to produce a single-dose vaccine, unlike some of the front-runner candidates which require double doses.

Double doses are necessary when a vaccine’s efficacy diminishes over time. The drawback of double doses is that it would probably cost more and be more difficult to distribute widely.

“A single dose will work so much better in terms of the logistics to get people protected against Covid-19″, said Ooi Eng Eong, deputy director of Duke-NUS’s emerging infectious diseases program.

Seven Vaccines In Final Phase

At the moment, there are seven vaccines in the final phase of clinical trials.

Russia claims to have successfully developed an effective Covid-19 vaccine and plans to start a mass vaccination campaign in October, but the World Health Organisation (WHO) has reacted cautiously.

At any rate, we’re much closer to a vaccine that anyone could have predicted. Hopefully, it comes sooner rather than later, so we can go back to googling bubble tea deals and discounts instead.