New Delhi: More than 10 months after detection of Coronavirus in China and its subsequent devastation across the globe, researchers and scientists are still working round the clock to develop an effective vaccine against the contagious disease.

About 170 countries are working in close co-ordination with the WHO towards development of Covid-19 vaccine. Interestingly, there are about 176 potential Covid-19 vaccine in the works now, out of which 35 are said to be under clinical evaluation.

A couple of vaccine candidates are in final phase i.e 3rd phase of clinical trial. However, reports suggest even if vaccine gets ready by early 2021, it will take 4-5 years to get the entire population on globe to get vaccinated.

One can look at this link… to check out entire list of vaccines in the works.

There are now 8 Phase III #SARSCoV2 vaccine trials ongoing around the world. This is a very good resource to track all the vaccines. Thanks @LSHTM https://t.co/JauZtIoVw0 pic.twitter.com/ASMQM9UB4U

— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) September 28, 2020

Top 9 vaccine candidates in Phase III trial stage:

1) University of Oxford and AstraZeneca

Clinical Stage: Phase-III
Vaccine roll out: Early 2021

ChAdOx1 – is the vaccine candidate being jointly developed by University of Oxford and AstraZeneca. In Phase 3, the company is testing 30,000 participants in United States, 12,000 volunteers in UK and 5,000 participants in Brazil and South Africa. The trial of this vaccine was put on hold on September 6, as a volunteer was detected with some complications. However, trials have resumed again.

2) BioNTech/FosunPharma/Pfizer

Clinical Stage: Phase-III
Vaccine roll out: 2020 End

American pharma major Pfizer and BioNTech have collaborated to develop a potential coronavirus vaccine, which has reached Phase III clinical trial stage.

Pfizer has already manufactured thousands of doses and might launch the vaccine by year end, CEO Albert Bourla said recently. Trump government has already placed an initial order of 100 million doses for $1.95 billion.

3) CanSino Biological Inc and Beijing Institute of Biotechnology

Clinical Stage: Phase-III
Vaccine roll out: 2021

CanSino was the first pharma company in the world to have begun developing a vaccine for the deadly virus. The Chinese firm started developing the vaccine way back in March and has now reached Stage III clinical trial. Its Phase I and Phase II have been approved by The Lancet. Chinese researchers also claim that this vaccine will cure people from other mutations of the virus also.

4) Gamaleya Research Insitutute

Clinical Stage: III
Vaccine roll out: Already launched in Russia (without Phase III trial)

Russia was the first nation to develop vaccine for Covid-19 and it also got it approved by Moscow’s Gamaleya Institute on August 11. The vaccine was approved after completion of Phase-I and Phase-II trial. However, its vaccine named Sputnik-V has announced Phase-III trial on 40,000 people.

On September 8, the Russian government sought India’s help in manufacturing the Sputnik vaccine and also to conduct Phase III trials in India.

Russian Direct Investment Fund recently struck a deal with Dr Reddy’s to conduct clinical trials in India as well as distribute 100 million doses of vaccines in India.

5) Janseen Pharmaceutical Companies

Clinical Stage: III
Vaccine roll out: Early 2021

Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen unit is developing the vaccine candidate and is in Phase III clinical trial stage.
Janseen Pharmaceutical companies has struck a deal with Britain and separately $ 1 billion deal with US to supply 100 million doses.

It’s trials are limited to 3 nations only – US, Mexico and Brazil, apparently the two most affected countries. If proven to be safe and effective, the first batch of the vaccine should be available by early 2021.
The company plans to roll out 1 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccine across the world through 2021.

6) Sinovac

Clinical Stage: III
Vaccine roll out: 2020 End

It is another Chinese which started work on the vaccine way back in January itself. Coronavac, the vaccine candidate is in Phase III trial and hopes to develop a vaccine by this year only. It is looking to introduce the Covid-19 vaccine this year only.

7) Wuhan Institute of Biological Products/ Sinopharm

Clinical Stage – Phase III

Sinopharm, the Chinese pharmaceutical company was the first to begin the work on Coronavirus vaccine. The vaccine is being developed in Wuhan – the epicenter of Coronavirus. These vaccines are developed after scientists grow the virus in a laboratory setting from scratch and then they try to kill it.

8) Beijing Institute of Biological Products/Sinopharm

Clinical Stage – Phase III

Sinopharm is developing another Covid-19 vaccine with Beijing Institute of Biological Products. The vaccine is under Phase III stage trial. According to Beijing Institute of Biological Products, it can produce upto 120 mn vaccines a year.

9) Moderna/NIAID

Clinical Stage – Phase III
Vaccine roll out – Early 2021

The company initiated phase-3 clinical trial on July 27. In Phase-3, the vaccine will be tested on 30,000 volunteers. It may roll out Covid-19 vaccine by 1st half of 2021. However, the company may also apply for early approval for treatment of high-risk groups if reports of Phase-3 clinical trials are effective and promising.