epa01215692 Doctoral student Emily Feneberg holds a hamster whose memory for smells is tested at the Paul Flechsig Institute for Brain Research in Leipzig, Germany, 03 January 2008. Together with a pharmaceutical company from the US scientists at the institute developed a test that makes an early diagnosis of Alzeheimer possible. The test is likely to come on the market as a blood test before the end of the year. In another joint project with partners from the US, the Netherlands and the UK the Leipzig-based scientists work on a gene therapy, which explores the similarity of phenomena caused by Alzheimer in humans with activities going on in the brains of hibernating hamsters. EPA/WALTRAUD GRUBITZSCH In the pre-clinical study, vaccinated animals lost less weight and had less virus in their lungs and other organs than unvaccinated animals. (https://bit.ly/3gVS8ey)
The company began early-stage human trials in the United States and Belgium in July, after details of a study in monkeys showed its best-performing vaccine candidate offered strong protection in a single dose.
Depending on data from the early-stage trial, J&J plans to begin phase 3 testing in the second half of September.
In the pre-clinical study reported on Thursday, Syrian golden hamsters, which are more susceptible to diseases than monkeys, were first vaccinated and then exposed to the novel coronavirus after four weeks.
The researchers found low levels of antibodies that can neutralize the virus were tied to high levels of weight loss and viral replication in the lungs. (Reporting by Manas Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)