The CSIRO team working on a coronavirus cure have made a huge step forward, moving into the testing phase of two potential vaccines.

Professor Trevor Drew OBE tells Deborah Knight the Australian team is the first in the world to achieve this milestone, but stresses it has been an international endeavour.

“Our race is against the virus, it’s not against each other. We’re working very collegially, sharing all of our information right around the world.”

The two vaccine candidates will be tested on lab ferrets, following CSIRO’s studies of the virus’ life-cycle and infection of its animal hosts.

Professor Drew estimates it will take three months to complete these tests, but the vaccine itself could be at least 18 months away.

“[The testing] has got to be comprehensive… both in terms of the type of data that we provide but also the quality of that data.”

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