Human trails of 2nd local COVID-19 vaccine expected in January

A medial worker prepares to inject Nanocovax, the first made-in-Vietnam COVID-19 vaccine, into a volunteer as part of human trials on December 17, 2020 (Photo: VNA)

The Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (IVAC), based in central Khanh Hoa province, has proposed the Ministry of Health allow human trials of its COVID-19 vaccine to begin in January, two months ahead of schedule.

The IVAC said it made the proposal following the testing on animals like hamsters, mice, and rabbits, which has shown that the candidate vaccine is safe and creates high immune response on the animals.

If permitted, this will be the second Vietnamese vaccine in clinical trials on humans, after Nanocovax of the Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC, which started the first phase of human trials on December 10, 2020.

IVAC Director Duong Huu Thai said the institute’s research on a COVID-19 vaccine began in May, aiming to successfully produce a vaccine and complete three phases of clinical trials in 18 months.

“Initial results are relatively goods,” he said, noting that the first phase of testing will last for about two months and conclude in April.

If all the three phases show good results, the vaccine will be available as soon as late 2021, Thai added.

The IVAC is set to coordinate with the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE) and the Hanoi Medical University to conduct clinical trials.

Different dosages of the vaccine will be injected into 125 volunteers of various age groups.

Apart from the IVAC’s vaccine and Nanocovax, Vietnam also has some other COVID-19 candidate vaccines being developed./.

VNA