A medical worker prepares to inject a volunteer with Vietnam's domestically-developed vaccine 'Nano Covax' against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) after the government said it was proven safe for human tests at a military health academy in Hanoi, Vietnam December 17,2020. Picture taken December 17,2020. Minh Quyet/VNA via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES NO ARCHIVES. VIETNAM OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN VIETNAM. BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE.
Twenty volunteers received the second shot of a homegrown Covid-19 vaccine at the Military Medical University in Hanoi.
Seventeen of them were given a 25mcg dose of Nanocovax, Vietnam’s first candidate vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 to reach the human trial stage.
Three others received a 50mcg dose of Nanocovax.
They were given the first shot on Dec 26.
A total of 60 volunteers, aged 18-50, were selected for the first phase of Nanocovax’s clinical trials. They are divided into three groups for receiving three doses of 25mcg, 50mcg and 75mcg, respectively.
The vaccination consists of two injections 28 days apart.
Among 20 candidates of the 25mcg dose group, three were injected with the second dose on Jan 14. All of them are now in stable condition.
Vietnam has so far gone more than halfway through the first human trial phase of Nanocovax.
Dr Ho Anh Son, deputy director of the Institute of Biomedicine and Pharmacy, said: “The tests on the seventh, fourteenth and twenty-eighth days after the injection showed the vaccine had good immunity against the virus and ensured safety. After the second shot, the level of antibodies will continue to increase by four to five times, even 20 times.”
The research team will continue to study and propose to the Health Ministry the appropriate doses for the second human trial phase, which is expected to begin immediately after the Lunar New Year (in the middle of February), he added.
The Military Medical University has received applications from more than 500 people who want to participate in the Nanocovax clinical trial.
More than 200 people have come for medical screening.
The criteria for volunteers will be expanded in the second phase which is expected to be tested on 400 to 600 people, aged 12-17.
It is expected that the Phase 3 will start when Phase 2 goes halfway, expanding on the scale of 10,000 to 30,000 people, starting from August 2021.
If the pilot study goes smoothly, the first of Vietnam’s homegrown vaccines will be launched in early 2022. — Vietnam News/ANN
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