Melbourne Made Vaccine Could Potentially Bust Omicron Covid Variant

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A Melbourne manufactured mRNA Covid vaccine could potentially be used to bust the Omicron variant. 

The vaccine, which is said to target a different part of the Covid-19 spike protein, has been in development at Monash University over the last year. 

It was originally designed to target the Beta variant, which has shown some resistance to vaccines before scientists realised it could be useful against the Omicron variant, as it shares some mutations.

IDT Australia in Melbourne has successfully manufactured vials of the new jab and can produce 100 million doses per year, if necessary. 

Four hundred and fifty doses of the mRNA jab have been produced and if all goes to plan, 150 people will participate in a clinical trial next year. 

There are now some approval processes to go through which will take us to the next step, which will be, all things going well, the commencement of those Phase 1 trials in January.

- Medical Research Minister Jaala Pulford

 Meanwhile, Victoria has recorded 918 new Covid cases and sadly, six deaths in the last 24 hours. 

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National Cabinet will meet this afternoon and is expected to discuss a unified approach to tackling the new Omicron strain well into the evening. 

Join Tom Tilley with regular rotating co-hosts Jan Fran, Annika Smethurst and Jamila Rizvi  on The Briefing, Monday - Saturday, for the day's headlines and breaking news as well as hot topics and interviews.  Available on Listnr.

Hit News Team

30 November 2021

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Hit News Team




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