BEIJING, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientists have established mouse and monkey models for the novel coronavirus, providing significant research knowledge to help understand the virus and discovering possible treatments and vaccines, China's Health News reported Friday.

Scientists have already used the models to study pathogenesis and assess the effectiveness and safety of five promising antivirus drugs, the newspaper said.

Researchers from the Institute of Laboratory Animals Science under the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College developed the models by using genetically modified mice and monkeys on Jan. 29 and Feb. 15, respectively.

The two models have been confirmed by an expert panel organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology recently in Beijing.

Another four drugs and six vaccines against the novel coronavirus are being evaluated by the two animal models, according to the newspaper.