Do Minh Sy, R&D Director of the vaccine producer - Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC, said on December 9 that the company’s COVID-19 vaccine research and production project has been carried out since March and Nanocovax has been developed based on recombinant protein technology.
Testing of the vaccine on mice (Photo: VNA)
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Like any medicine or vaccine, Nanocovax has undergone development stages and strict tests, he noted, adding that it has been tested on laboratory mice, hamsters, and monkeys, and shown “very positive” results, so the firm decided to apply for human trials.
With the Ministry of Health’s permission, the first phase of human trials beginning on December 17 will involve 60 people aged between 18 and 50 and in good health. The selection of volunteers for this stage has ended.
After about two to four weeks, they will be tested for COVID-19 antibodies and move to the second phase, which is set to begin in January next year with about 400 volunteers aged 18 to 60.
The third stage will cover 3,000 people between 12 and 70 years of age and begin in March, Sy said.
If the human trials are successful, the firm will manufacture some 2 million doses on a trial basis in the form of injections, nasal spray, and eye drops, to meet the needs of different age groups. Its maximum production capacity is about 50 million doses a year, according to Sy.
Apart from Nanocovax, Vietnam has several other COVID-19 candidate vaccines being developed, by Vabiotech, Polyvac, and the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals./.
VNA/VNP
