British scientists are on the verge of developing a vaccine for the Covid-19 strain of coronavirus following successful tests on mice.
Led by Mucosal Infection and Immunity head Dr Robin Shattock, the researchers said they are hopeful that it could be ready for human trials by June.
Senior researcher Dr Paul McKay of Imperial College London told the Express: "I've got results from a month after I injected [the mice] and the vaccine works really, really well."
The team are currently working with scientists in Paris to determine the vaccine's effectiveness in monkeys.
Dr McKay said they have applied for further funding from the Medical Research Council in order to conduct human clinical trials.
"If we get the funding for the human clinical trials, we will put it into people by June," he said.
"If British scientists here develop a vaccine it would be great if the Government supported it."
Should the human trials be successful, the team says they are hopeful the vaccine will be available for patients in a year.
A further 20 cases of coronavirus were confirmed in the Republic of Ireland on Friday.
This brings the total number of cases on the island of Ireland to 119 - 90 in the Republic of Ireland and 29 in Northern Ireland.
