Cigarette maker British American Tobacco (BAT) has claimed it is ready to test its potential COVID-19 vaccine using proteins from tobacco leaves. The company claimed on Friday it is ready for human trials, as pre-clinical trials generated a positive immune response.
They are awaiting approval from US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) to proceed to Phase 1 human trials.
The FDA has accepted the submission for BAT's pre-investigative new drug application, reports Reuters. They will also reach out to other governments around the world to develop the vaccine. If all approvals come in, the company could conduct clinical trials as early as June end.
UK-based BAT is known for their Lucky Strikes cigarettes. On its website, the company claims they could manufacture 1 and 3 million doses of the vaccine per week.
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