Google Ventures, a venture capital investment arm of Alphabet Incorporation, has reportedly been a part of a consortium that has funded Vaccitech, a UK-based firm that is developing a vaccine to combat flu. As per the information received from the reliable sources, Vaccitech has accumulated funds worth USD 27 million. Medical professionals have asserted that the funds are likely to help the firm not only carry out clinical tests on more than two thousand patients suffering from flu, but also support its other projects.
Sources cite that the research group at Vaccitech has been attempting to conduct clinical trials to prevent MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome). In addition, scientists at the firm are carrying out extensive cancer research programs as well, to develop a therapeutic vaccine with immunotherapy medicine for preventing prostate cancer.
As per the reports, the clinical trials conducted by Vaccitech have marked the beginning for a flu vaccine that has successfully crossed the Phase I clinical test hurdle. Healthcare service providers, physicians, and experts across the medical fraternity are jointly of the view that if the final Phase III testing of the vaccine proves to be a success, then it may be launched by the year 2023. However, the chief executive of Vaccitech has predicted the vaccine launch timeframe to fall between 2024 to 2025. It has been learnt that the clinical research for the new vaccine was also financed by firms such as Sequoia China as well as Oxford Sciences Innovation.
Medical experts have claimed that the new vaccine developed by the firm makes use of the proteins found in the core of the flu virus and stimulates the T-Cells of the human immune system. But as per the sources, the new approach of the firm towards the cancer research has failed to convince the reputed flu drug manufacturers such as Sanofi and GSK, that focus on the developments of solely those drugs that activate antibodies in humans.