(Two Sessions Express) Minister of Science and Technology of China: China is developing broad-spectrum drugs to deal with the constantly mutating new crown virus

  China News Service, Beijing, March 8 (Reporter Xia Bin) Wang Zhigang, Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, said on the 8th that China is actively developing a broad spectrum Medicines for the ever-mutating new coronavirus.

In addition, another recombinant protein vaccine was launched with conditions this year, and the mRNA vaccine and DNA vaccine have also entered Phase III clinical trials.

On March 8, the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress held the second "Minister's Channel" interview activity.

The picture shows Wang Zhigang, Minister of Science and Technology, being interviewed.

Photo by China News Agency reporter Yang Kejia

  Wang Zhigang said that an important factor in China's success in controlling the epidemic is technology.

"We have always adhered to five major directions to carry out scientific research, including vaccines, drugs, testing, animal models and scientific traceability."

  In terms of vaccines, Wang Zhigang introduced that this year, another recombinant protein vaccine will be marketed with conditions.

There are also two technical routes that have made positive progress. One is the mRNA vaccine, which has entered the third phase of clinical trials; the other is the DNA vaccine, which has also entered the third phase of clinical trials.

  Regarding drug research and development, Wang Zhigang said that one neutralizing antibody drug has been marketed with conditions, and three small molecule drugs have entered phase III clinical trials.

In addition, there are some neutralizing antibody drugs, small molecule drugs, and traditional Chinese medicines, which are all under active research and development, showing good prospects.

  Wang Zhigang said that in the face of the constantly mutating new coronaviruses such as Omicron and Delta, the public expects a broad-spectrum drug to deal with it. "We are actively developing such a broad-spectrum drug."

In addition, nasal spray and inhalation vaccine research has also made good progress.

  In terms of testing, he pointed out that sample testing can be completed within 30 minutes at the fastest, and an integrated testing system can test 200,000 samples a day, greatly improving the testing capacity.

  Wang Zhigang said that the more means and methods of science and technology, the richer, more targeted and more scientific the prevention and control plans will be.

He revealed that the Ministry of Science and Technology is still accumulating some means, tools and products in science and technology.

  "When the new crown pneumonia epidemic is over, what will we leave behind? What will be left is how to do the usual epidemic prevention, how to timely and effectively switch the ability and mechanism when the epidemic breaks out, and leave a group of teams, technologies, and platforms. and international partners." He said that these will make the toolbox of scientific and technological anti-epidemic means and methods more abundant when major infectious diseases that endanger people's health will be encountered in the future.

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