Developed by the Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC and the Vietnam Military Medical University, Nanocovax is Vietnam's first COVID-19 candidate vaccine to reach the human trial stage.
According to Nguyen Ngo Quang, Deputy Director of the Health Ministry’s Department of Science, Technology and Training, 60 people aged between 18 and 50 will be selected among the volunteers for the first phase of the trials.
The test will last for 56 days from the day given of the first injection. The participants will be under medical monitoring for six months.
The Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC has spent 20 billion VND (865,946 USD) buying a health insurance package for the volunteers.
If the trials show good results, the drug-maker plans to administer Nanocovax to the public in May 2021.
Apart from Nanocovax, Vietnam has several other COVID-19 candidate vaccines being developed by Vabiotech, Polyvac, and the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals.
Vietnam reported no new COVID-19 infections on December 16, with the tally standing at 1,405, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.
Of the total, 693 cases were transmitted domestically. December 16 marked the 15th consecutive day without community-transmitted infections in the country.
As of December 16 afternoon, 1,252 patients had been given the all-clear. The fatalities remain at 35.
Among patients still under treatment, three have tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 once, six twice and six thrice.
A total of 18,378 people who had close contact with COVID-19 patients or arrived from pandemic-hit areas are being quarantined nationwide, with 207 at hospitals, 15,567 at concentration facilities and 2,804 at home or their accommodations./.
VNA/VNP
