Cigarette giant BAT’s coronavirus vaccine gets approval for human trials

A coronavirus vaccine being developed by cigarette giant British American Tobacco (BAT) is launching human trials after receiving regulatory approval. The UK-based manufacturer of Benson & Hedges and Lucky Strike said America’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given the green light for clinical tests involving 180 adult volunteers, with results expected in the middle of 2021. The vaccine has been developed by BAT’s biotechnology division, Kentucky BioProcessing (KBP), which has previously worked on a treatment for Ebola and is also developing a seasonal flu vaccine.