Getting into the clinic ASAP16 Feb 2021 07:41
'Scancell beefs up board with medical heavyweights to advance clinical trials'
'Scancell Holdings PLC (LON:SCLP) has appointed Dr Gillies O'Bryan-Tear to the position of chief medical officer (CMO) and Dr Robert Miller as medical director.
The appointments reflect the AIM-listed company’s continuing focus on advancing the clinical development and commercialisation of its programmes for the treatment of cancer and in developing a vaccine for COVID-19, it said.'
And at least one of these new signings is being proactive:
'Scancell chief medical officer Dr Gillies O’Bryan-Tear said: "We don’t necessarily claim it will be a pan-coronavirus vaccine, but it has got the potential to be so simply because of where it is targeted.”
'Scancell is calling for more funding to progress its new vaccine through clinical trial - hoping for a large pharmaceutical partner and investment of hundreds of millions of pounds.
Dr O'Bryan-Tear was optimistic the vaccine could be developed within a year - pointing to a similar timeframe for the first Covid jabs.
He said: "There is no reason why, if we get a partner, we shouldn't be able to do it as quickly as the others have done it."
The doctor added: "I think the pandemic will be around for two or three more years, because of supply, because of not being able to vaccinate developing countries.
"During that time, the virus will mutate, so there are plenty of opportunities for new entrants to try their hand.'