Small biotech launches human trials of a potential ‘backstop’ for Covid-19 vaccines

Small biotech launches human trials of a potential ‘backstop’ for Covid-19 vaccines

Source: 
Stat
snippet: 

A small biotechnology firm said that it will start human testing of an experimental Covid-19 vaccine it hopes can target potential strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that could evade current vaccines — if such strains ever exist and become a problem.

“We all hope that this will not be necessary,” said Andrew Allen, the CEO of the firm, Gritstone Oncology, in an interview with STAT. “I think it’s prudent to have it developed as a backstop. We all talk about pandemic preparedness. So that’s what this is about.”