THE HAGUE, May 14, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – A vaccine for the coronavirus could be
ready in a year’s time under an “optimistic” scenario, based on data from
trials that are under way, the European Medicines Agency said Thursday.
“We can see the possibility if everything goes as planned that some of them
(vaccines) could be ready for approval in a year from now,” Marco Cavaleri,
the EMA’s head of biological health threats and vaccines strategy, told a
video news conference.
“These are just forecasts based on what we are seeing. But again I have to
stress that this is a best-case scenario, we know not all vaccines that come
into development may not make it to authorisation and disappear,” he added.
“We know also that there may be delays.”
The agency was however “a bit sceptical” about reports that a vaccine could
be ready as soon as September.
The Amsterdam-based EU agency meanwhile played down fears expressed by the
World Health Organization that the virus “may never go away”.
“I think it’s a bit early to say but we have good reason to be sufficiently
optimistic that some vaccines will make it,” Cavaleri said.
“I would be surprised that if at the end of the day we don’t have any
vaccine for COVID-19.”