Vietnam tested the second COVID-19 vaccine, with more than 125 people injecting the first stage

The Institute of Vaccines and Biologicals requested the Ministry of Health to allow the testing of COVID-19 on 125 volunteers in January 2021, 1 month earlier than originally planned because the testing phase on animals was success.

Mr. Duong Huu Thai - Director of the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (IVAC, headquartered in Khanh Hoa) - said that Vietnam's second COVID-19 vaccine, studied by IVAC, will be tested in humans, after the vaccine Nanocovax of Nanogen Company (human trial phase 1 from December 10, 2020).

Previously, IVAC's Covivac vaccine was successfully tested on animals, gave safe results and created high immunity. Therefore, IVAC suggested the Ministry of Health allow human trials in January 2021, two months earlier than originally planned.

According to Mr. Thai, the institute started conducting research on Covivac vaccine from May to 2020 with the goal of producing vaccines and completing a 3-phase clinical trial in 18 months.

"Through trials and initial screening, the results are very positive, the strain develops well and adapt to the existing technology process. Human testing must go through 3 phases, in which phase 1 will be ending in April 2020. If the results of the three phases are good, Vietnam's second COVID-19 vaccine will be released on the market by the end of 2021, ”said Mr. Thai.

IVAC will coordinate with the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi Medical University in clinical trials of Covivac vaccine. The vaccine will be divided into different doses with different injections for clinical testing on 125 volunteers, belonging to three target groups.

Stage 1 volunteers are 18-59 years old, healthy, have no underlying disease, and many other specific criteria. Estimated injection dose for each subject is 1mcg, 3mcg and each subject injected 2 injections 28 days apart.

After the injection, all volunteers will be monitored for the health status, if it goes smoothly, the next steps will be taken.

Ministry of Health: Covivac vaccine is evaluated very positively

Mr. Nguyen Ngo Quang - Deputy Director of Department of Science, Technology and Training (Ministry of Health) - said that Covivac vaccine has been evaluated in the US and the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology. The assessment results are very positive, so the manufacturer and the Ministry of Health have both planned to speed up the trial on humans 1 month earlier, scheduled for January 21, 22.

This is the second vaccine to be clinically tested in humans, after Nanogen's Nanocovax. The strength of the Nha Trang Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals is the availability of a line with a capacity of tens of millions of doses / year.

With two vaccines being tested on humans, Mr. Quang said that Vietnam can own a vaccine and use it in pandemic conditions from the end of the second quarter, that is to bring COVID-19 vaccine produced by Vietnam. Export for widespread use.

(TuoiTre)