by Electron microscope image of Covid-19 (yellow) emerging from the surface of cells (blue/pink) cultured in a US lab (Keystone / Niaid- Rml/national Institutes O) Swiss pharma and business insiders predict that an effective drug therapy against Covid-19 will be available by the end of this year, but a vaccine might take a year longer than that. “In the best-case scenario, a drug could be available before the end of 2020,” said on Monday Francesco De Rubertis, director and co-founder of Medicxi, a Geneva-based venture capital company that invests in biotechnology. In an interview with the Swiss newspaper Le Tempsexternal link, De Rubertis said, “We should know by the end of 2020 if any of the vaccines tested are promising. If the answer is positive, a vaccine may
Topics:
Swissinfo considers the following as important: 3) Swiss Markets and News, 3.) Swiss Info, Featured, health, newsletter
This could be interesting, too:
Michael Njoku writes Totalitarianism Begins With A Denial of Economics
Nachrichten Ticker - www.finanzen.ch writes US-Wahl treibt Bitcoin über 90’000 US-Dollar – wie Anleger vom neuen Krypto-Hype profitieren können
Jim Fedako writes Subjectivity and Demonstrated Preference: A Possible Paradox
Connor O'Keeffe writes The Context Behind Donald Trump’s “Takeover” of the American Right
Electron microscope image of Covid-19 (yellow) emerging from the surface of cells (blue/pink) cultured in a US lab (Keystone / Niaid- Rml/national Institutes O)
Swiss pharma and business insiders predict that an effective drug therapy against Covid-19 will be available by the end of this year, but a vaccine might take a year longer than that.
“In the best-case scenario, a drug could be available before the end of 2020,” said on Monday Francesco De Rubertis, director and co-founder of Medicxi, a Geneva-based venture capital company that invests in biotechnology.
In an interview with the Swiss newspaper Le Tempsexternal link, De Rubertis said, “We should know by the end of 2020 if any of the vaccines tested are promising. If the answer is positive, a vaccine may appear in the second half of 2021, possibly in the third quarter.”
He noted that this time frame would be “exceptionally short” – less than two years after the appearance of Covid-19 – when it normally takes five to seven years to develop a vaccine. De Rubertis predicts that a vaccine will come from a large pharma or a large biotech company rather than a start-up.
Spring 2021?
Meanwhile, the chairman of the board of the Swiss reinsurance company Swiss Re reckons a vaccine will be ready “in the first quarter of 2021 at the earliest – and then it will have to go into mass production very quickly”. In an interview published by the CH-Media newspaper group on Tuesday, Walter Kielholz said that the world would not return to normal until there was a vaccine against Covid-19.
However, he said he could imagine lockdown measures being relaxed soon. “Why jewellery shops or furniture stores, for example, have to remain closed is beyond me. They could resume operations if the hygiene regulations were observed. This also applies to other shops, such as clothing stores,” he said.
During a briefing on Tuesday, Margaret Harris of the Geneva-based World Health Organizationexternal link said, “We shouldn’t really be expecting to see the vaccine for 12 months or longer.”
You Might Also Like
Coronavirus: new infections slowing in Switzerland
The number of new recorded Covid-19 cases is slowing in Switzerland. By 8 April 2020 the total number of recorded cases was 23,574 according to Switzerland’s health authority.
Coronavirus hits Swiss train passenger numbers
The number of people taking trains in Switzerland has fallen since the outbreak of the coronavirus, resulting in a huge financial hit, Swiss Federal Railways reported on Tuesday.
Shortage of hospital beds in Ticino as virus toll rises
The Swiss health authorities have raised alarm over the limited care facilities in one of its regions hardest hit by the coronavirus epidemic. “The situation in Ticino is dramatic,” said Daniel Koch of the Federal Office of Public Health at a news conference on Thursday.
Global curbs on medical exports imperil poor nations
Around 50 countries have introduced curbs on exports of medical supplies, including ventilators. This poses a major risk for poor countries, a Swiss study has revealed. The past fortnight has seen nations around the world scrambling for medical supplies and equipment to combat the fast-spreading coronavirus.
Emergency funding made available for artists and designers
People who work in the cultural sector in Switzerland can now apply for funds to cushion the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Swiss government last month adopted a package of measures totalling CHF280 million ($287 million).
New debt relief measures on the horizon for struggling firms
The Swiss government is examining plans to stave off bankruptcies of companies struggling with the fallout of the coronavirus crisis. But regular debt collection procedures will resume on April 20. Justice Minster Karin Keller-Sutter said the aim was to stabilise the economy and to secure jobs.
Cradle of agriculture in the Amazon region much older
People began growing manioc and squash much earlier than previously thought, a team of researchers led by the Swiss university of Bern has found. A study shows that the earliest human inhabitants of Moxos plains began transforming the tropical savanna eco-region in Bolivia 10,000 years ago, that is 8,000 earlier than previously thought.
Ranking finds Swiss cities less expensive
Zurich and Geneva are still among the world’s ten most expensive cities, but both have slid down the rankings since last year. The full effect of the coronavirus crisis remains to be seen. In the Economist Intelligence Unit’s annual report comparing the cost of living in cities around the world, Zurich is tied for 5th place with Paris; in 2019 it ranked 4th.
Tags: Featured,Health,newsletter