Vietnam has completed the first phase of Nano Covax human trials. This is the local vaccine for COVID-19. It has already been tested on 60 volunteers. This was announced on Monday by the Military Medical University of Vietnam.
The last 22 volunteers received second vaccinations, two received a 50 mg dose and 20 received a 75 mg dose.
A total of 120 injections were given at this stage (two for each volunteer).
Nano Covax has proven to be safe and effective against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. It is capable of suppressing even its new variant, which was first reported by the UK health authorities. Although considered more infectious, it does not necessarily cause more serious illness in those infected.
Most of the volunteers are in stable conditions after vaccination. Only a few had mild injection site pain and fever. However, they disappeared after one or two days.
After the Thoth holiday is over next week, the National Biomedical Research Ethics Committee will begin evaluating the initial results of the vaccine trials.
The first step is to assess the safety of the vaccine. It was developed and manufactured at the city enterprise Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC.
About 400 people registered for the second stage. It is expected to last six months, during which 560 volunteers will receive vaccines.
The third phase will involve more than 10,000 volunteers, including in several countries in Asia where community transmission of coronavirus is widespread. The third phase will start around August.
If the results are good, Vietnam will introduce the vaccine to the population in early 2022.
Nano Covax is Vietnam's first COVID-19 vaccine. It will be undergoing human trials from December 17, 2020. The vaccine can be stored at normal temperature in the refrigerator (2-8 degrees Celsius). Three other vaccines are also being developed.
Source: Viet Nam News. Translation: Anna Boyko.