Press Conference:
The State of the COVID-19 Vaccine Race
Ryuichi Morishita
Professor of Department of Clinical Gene Therapy,
Center of Medical, Innovation and Translational Research
School of Medicine, Osaka University
15:00 - 16:00, November 26, 2020
(The speech will be in English.)
With COVID-19 cases proving nearly impossible to control through social distancing, mask-wearing and quarantines, the world awaits a vaccine. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine could be ready for distribution in early to mid-2021, though current candidates are still going through the three phases of human clinical trials and face regulatory hurdles and challenges in ramping-up production and distribution. WHO says there are currently more than 100 COVID-19 vaccine candidates under development, with a limited number of those now in human clinical trials.
One of those candidates is a so-called DNA vaccine based on the findings of Ryuichi Morishita, a gene therapy researcher at Osaka University. Under development by AnGes, Inc., an Osaka-based biotech startup, the vaccine is rumored to be headed into Phase III clinical trials soon, possibly in the U.S. Dr. Morishita will explain how the vaccine differs from others in the pipeline and where it stands in the race to the market.
Dr. Morishita earned his medical and Ph.D. degrees from Osaka University where he has spent his entire career save for stints as a post-doctoral researcher and visiting instructor at Stanford University in the United States. Dr. Morishita also developed Japan's first approved gene therapeutic drug, Collategene, which is used to treat critical limb ischemia.
How to attend:
Please register at front@fccj.or.jp with your name, name of media outlet, FCCJ membership number. Due to space restrictions, please note there will be a limited number of reservations to attend. Doors open at 14:15. Please sign in your name and contact details at the reception with your own pen and to have your temperature taken before proceeding.
How to watch online: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe8K6odES9H0wSq71vppauA/live
Livestreaming of the press events will be available and video of this event will be uploaded to our FCCJ YouTube channel.
How to ask questions:https://forms.gle/4zapNwmkJp4LybnaA
Members watching the event online can submit questions for the speakers in advance using this submission form (English only).
TV crew: Please make a reservation at front@fccj.or.jp. Door open for TV crews only at 14:30. There will be five positions available for livestreaming.
Professional Activities Committee