Current Status of COVID-19 Vaccine Development: Focusing on Antigen Design and Clinical Trials on Later Stages

The global outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is still threatening human health, economy, and social life worldwide. As a counteraction for this devastating disease, a number of vaccines are being developed with unprecedented speed combined with new technologies. As COVID-19 vaccines are being developed in the absence of a licensed human coronavirus vaccine, there remain further questions regarding the long-term efficacy and safety of the vaccines, as well as immunological mechanisms in depth. This review article discusses the current status of COVID-19 vaccine development, mainly focusing on antigen design, clinical trials in later stages, and immunological considerations for further study.

Automated summary

The global outbreak of COVID-19 continues to threaten human health, economy, and social life. Despite the rapid development of vaccines, questions still remain regarding their long-term efficacy, safety, and immunological mechanisms. This review focuses on the current status of COVID-19 vaccine development, highlighting antigen design, late-stage clinical trials, and areas for further study.