Singapore scientists plan to start testing COVID-19 vaccine this year: Gan Kim Yong - (CNA via NewsPoints Desk)

• Singapore health minister Gan Kim Yong said researchers at Duke-NUS Medical School are working with international partners, including the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), to develop a clinical trial for a COVID-19 vaccine candidate, with plans to begin testing this year, reported CNA.

• Meanwhile, a COVID-19 therapeutic workgroup, comprising members from various hospitals across different disciplines and the Health Science Authority, has been set up to look at using repurposed drugs with antiviral activity to treat infected patients in Singapore.

• Gan said the group will work on guidelines for using the drugs, which include anti-HIV drugs lopinavir and ritonavir, interferon beta-1B and hydroxychloroquine.

• Last month, the Ministry of Health's (MOH) chief health scientist Tan Chorh Chuan said a small number of COVID-19 patients are being treated with lopinavir and ritonavir.

• He said MOH will need to see the results of the trials done in China and other places and determine how effective they are, but suggested "the results so far from other studies have looked quite promising."

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