Norbert Žilka is the director of the Institute of Neuroimmunology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV) and also the scientific director of Axon Neuroscience. (source: Sme/Jozef Jakubčo)
Slovak scientists and researchers are developing a vaccine against COVID-19. It is believed it will especially help older people whose bodies find it difficult to elicit an immune response.
Neuroimmunologist NORBERT ŽILKA, who oversees the development of the vaccine at Axon Neuroscience, explains when the Slovak vaccine could be available and who is financing it.
At what stage of development is the Slovak vaccine ACvac1? Have you tested it on people yet?
No, the vaccine is not yet undergoing clinical trials - the phase in which the vaccine is given to human-volunteers. We are nearing the end of the preclinical phase, which takes place exclusively in the laboratory. Here the vaccine is tested on animals or cultured cells. We are monitoring the potential of the vaccine for its further use.
