China develops 8 vaccines against COVID-19, some prove effective on animals

China has developed eight types of vaccines against the novel coronavirus. Some of them have already proven to be effective on animals, head of the Institute of Laboratory Animal Science of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Qin Chuan informed during a briefing on Tuesday, TASS reports.

"Currently, the Academy of Medical Sciences is estimating the effectiveness of eight vaccines. The effectiveness of some of them has been proven successfully," she said.

The specialist noted that animal testing is currently underway on transgenic mice and monkeys. Currently, experts are studying possible side effects of the vaccines. According to Qin Chuan, researchers are trying to single out the most effective drugs against pneumonia, also detecting the main ways of COVID-19 transmission.

Director of Science and Technology at China's Ministry of Education Lei Chaozi said during the briefing that China would soon begin clinical testing of the vaccines developed at the country’s leading universities. "The development of novel coronavirus vaccines is underway at Chinese universities. There is hope that we will soon begin clinical testing of some of them," he noted.

Neither expert has provided an estimated date of when clinical testing may begin.