A researcher of Stermirna Therapeutics Co., Ltd. shows the experiment to develop an mRNA vaccine targeting the novel coronavirus in east China's Shanghai, Jan. 29, 2020. (Xinhua/Ding Ting)

Several Chinese institutions are working with their foreign counterparts to speed up vaccine development, aside from working on their own to develop vaccines against the novel coronavirus.

Peter Hotez, professor of molecular virology, microbiology and pediatrics at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, told the Global Times in  an email that his team is cooperating with researchers from Fudan University in Shanghai, as the university has a very strong virology group, especially involving the novel coronavirus. 

"The vaccine that we developed and manufactured could go into clinical trials very soon," Hotez said. He added that the team is now looking for vaccine development and manufacturing groups in China to partner with.

Hotez's team has already developed and manufactured a vaccine for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). 

As the receptor-binding domains of both SARS and novel coronavirus bind to the same host cell receptor and the two viruses are 80 percent similar in genetic code, Hotez's team is also exploring whether their SARS vaccine might help China fight the novel coronavirus. 

The SARS vaccine will likely soon be deployed in China and may partially protect healthcare workers or older individuals at risk, Hotez said. 

Hotez said he believes that the Chinese government is doing its best under very difficult circumstances, but he suggested China  set up a coordination department for a novel coronavirus vaccine for it to organize all the developers and manufacturers to advance vaccine development. 

On Sunday, samples of the new vaccine by a group of Chinese scientists were tested on more than 100 mice. If successful, initial clinical trials will start in April to test the vaccine's safety in a group of people, according to news site yicai.com on Monday. 

The vaccine was developed by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Medical School of Shanghai Tongji University and Shanghai-based biotechnology company Stemirna Therapeutics. 

Several Chinese biotech companies announced cooperation with US technology companies in researching and developing a vaccine against the novel coronavirus. 

The Georgia-based GeoVax Labs biotech company signed a letter of intent with the Wuhan-based BravoVax Company on January 27 to jointly develop the vaccine.

The Beijing-based Adcaccine Biopharmaceuticals and Inovio Pharmaceuticals, a US enterprise, signed a memorandum of understanding on January 27 to develop a 2019-nCoV vaccine, according to a document Adcaccine sent to the Global Times. 

The China Association for Vaccines said that as of February 6, a total of 17 Chinese institutions and companies were developing vaccines for the novel coronavirus.

A Chinese immunology expert told the Global Times on condition of anonymity that they still need to test the vaccine's indicators, such as safety and immune protection, after the vaccines have been developed. Then the vaccine will be provided to high-risk groups first, such as frontline medical staff, the expert said.