SYDNEY (Reuters) - Early testing of a potential COVID-19 vaccine developed by an Australian university and CSL Ltd has shown it to be safe and produce an antibody response, Minister for Health Greg Hunt said on Friday. Pharmaceutical companies are racing to develop effective treatments for the disease amid a surge in COVID-19 cases that has killed over a million people and battered the world’s economy. Several candidates including ones produced Pfizer Inc and AstraZeneca are expected to imminently announce the results from last stage testing.