Philadelphia-Area Researchers Working On Coronavirus Vaccine

Greg Argos reports.

16 FAMILIES OF STUDENTS AT AHEIGHTENED RISKED DUE TO THEIRIMMUNIZATION STATUS.THE CDC HAS AN URGENT WARNINGTONIGHT.THE DEADLY OUTBREAK OF THECORONAVIRUS COULD CONTINUE INTOTHE NEXT YEAR.A 15TH CASE HAS NOW BEENCONFIRMED IN THE U.S.THE PATIENT IS QUARANTINED INSAN ANTONIO TEXAS.THE PATIENT WAS AMONG A GROUP OFEVACUATED PEOPLE FROM CHINA.OFFICIALS IN CHINA NOW SAY THEREHAVE BEEN NEARLY 60,000 CASESAND CLOSE TO 1400 DEATHS.GREG ARGOS IS AT PHILADELPHIAINTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TONIGHTWITH MORE ON THE HOME TOWNEFFORT AGAINST THIS VIRUS.GREG.Reporter: AND UKEE RIGHT NOWWE'RE HEARING THAT A MAJORAIRLINE, UNITED, HAS SUSPENDEDITS FLIGHTS TO CHINA THROUGH ATLEAST THIS APRIL.ALL THE WHILE, A PHILADELPHIABASED COMPANY IS RUSHING ITSCORONAVIRUS VACCINE TO MARKET.THURSDAY THE CENTER FOR DISEASECONTROL CONFIRMED THE 15TH CASEOF CORONAVIRUS IN THE UNITEDSTATES.AS MORE THAN 60,000 CASES HAVEBEEN VERIFIED WORLDWIDE.THESE VIRUSES DON'T HAVE ANYNATIONAL ORIGINS OR BOUNDARIES.WHICH IS WHY DR. JOSEPH KIM'STEAM AT INOVA IS WORKINGFEVERISHLY TO GET THE VACCINE TOMARKET.HIS COMPANY IS BASED IN NEARBYPLYMOUTH MEETING AND RESEARCHERSHAVE ALREADY DEVELOPED AVACCINE, COVE A 19 THE OFFICIALNAME OF THE VIRUS.IT TOOK US ABOUT 13 HOURS TOACTUALLY MAKE AND CONSTRUCT OURVACCINE.THAT'S BECAUSE THEY USESPECIAL DNA TECHNOLOGY TO CREATEITS VACCINES.ONCE THE CHINESE GOVERNMENTPOSTED THE SEQUENCE FOR THECORONAVIRUS ON JANUARY 11TH, HISTEAM TOOK THAT DATA AND BEGANTHEIR WORK.WE JUST TAKE THE DNA SEQUENCETHAT ENCODES FOR THE VIRUS ANDCAN TRANSLATE THAT INTO AVACCINE PRODUCT IN A MATTER OFHOURS.Reporter: UNLIKE TRADITIONALVACCINE DEVELOPMENT, THERE IS NONEED TO USE THE REAL VIRUS WHICHCUTS TIMES DOWN DRAMATICALLY.BUT NOW THE HUMAN TESTING PHASEHAS TO BEGIN, WHICH DR. KIMHOPES WILL START SOON BOTH INTHE U.S. AND IN CHINA.THAT HUMAN TRIAL WILL STARTEARLY SUMMER THIS YEAR.INOVIO IS WORKING WITH THEASSUMPTION OF THE WORST CASESCENARIO.NOW, THAT WORST CASE SCENARIOCOULD MEAN THE POTENTIAL FORMILLIONS OF DOSES OF THISDR. KIM SAYS HIS COMPANY ISWORKING WITH MANUFACTURERS TOMAKE SURE THEY CAN SUPPLY THOSEVACCINES AFTER HUMAN TESTING ISCOMPLETE.I'M LIVE HERE AT PHILADELPHIA