At a time of historically sour relations between Canada and China, some experts are questioning Ottawa’s decision to invest in the project
The vaccine is based on a cell line developed by the National Research Council. The company has worked with the NRC previously on an Ebola vaccine, and with scientists at the council and McMaster University on a tuberculosis shot. More recently, it partnered with a Vancouver-based bio technology company that came up with its own COVID-19 vaccine candidate.
Gary Kobinger, a Laval University professor who famously helped develop an Ebola vaccine and treatment while at Canada’s National Microbiology Lab, said he actually applauds the government for ignoring politics and working with China. But the phase 1 results suggest CanSino’s vaccine is not the one to bet on, he said.
. Particulars of the CanSino deal are shielded by “commercial confidentiality,” said Hans Parmar, an Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada spokesman. But Ottawa has committed $1 billion to COVID-19 research generally. The vaccine is based on relatively recent technology that genetically engineers an adenovirus — effectively the drug’s delivery vehicle — to include the new coronavirus’s spike protein. That ideally prompts the body’s immune system to stave off COVID-19.The study found an immune response to SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, in most of the 108 subjects, but it was “dampened” in about half of them.
And in fact, the federal government says it hasn’t put all its COVID-19 eggs in the CanSino basket. It is funding a number of Canadian vaccine projects, including one at the University of Saskatchewan that’s moving toward human trials soon.Article content continued Attaran also questions what benefit, if any, Canada received from CanSino in exchange for the NRC’s cell lines and, now, an unknown amount of funding for clinical trials.Article content continued
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