Armenia is negotiating with several manufacturers and international agencies for a possible vaccine against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Minister of Health Arsen Torosyan told a cabinet meeting on Thursday.

Torosyan says he is personally holding talks with vaccine manufacturers, including Moderna Therapeutics, a biotech company co-founded by American entrepreneur of Armenian descent Noubar Afeyan. According to the minister, the vaccine being developed by the company is one of the most likely candidates to be approved for the treatment of the infection.

Armenia is also in talks with WHO and UNICEF platforms, which will try to purchase large quantities of vaccine and equally distribute it to different countries.

“The danger is that some countries may buy up already produced or a potential vaccine, which means the rest will just get the vaccine late,” Torosyan said, defending the move to start the talks now.

The health minister said a potential COVID-19 vaccine could be available by the end of 2020 or in early 2021, which will become clear after the results of the third phase of trials are summed up in fall.

Torosyan highlighted a coronavirus vaccine could help countries get back to normal.