Viet Nam Starts Human Trials Of Second Homegrown COVID-19 Vaccine

The first volunteer receives first shot of COVID-19 vaccine COVIVAC at the Ha Noi Medical University on March 15, 2021. Photo: VGP

The vaccine was developed by the the Nha Trang-based Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (IVAC) and the Ha Noi Medical University since last May, using primary chicken embryo cell culture, a technique the institute used previously to successfully produce seasonal flu vaccines.

Earlier, pre-clinical studies in India, the U.S. and Viet Nam showed that COVIVAC is safe and effective.

Dr. Ta Thanh Van, President of the Council of Ha Noi Medical University was quoted as saying that as of March 12, 230 volunteers aged 18-59 without underlying health conditions registered to join the clinical trial phase but only 120 of them were qualified for the phase.

On this morning, six of them were invited to receive the first shots. They would remain at the university for next 24 hours for health workers to monitor side effects.

The rest of the volunteers will be injected with the first shots until April 20 and divided into different groups with12-18 people each.

Each volunteer will get two doses with an interval of 28 days.

As planned, once a mid-term report of the first human trial phase is approved by the Ministry of Health, the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE) will deploy the second phase at the Vu Thu District Medical Center in Thai Binh province thanks to human trial experiences of other homegrown vaccines.   

Viet Nam currently has four Covid-19 vaccines under development by Nanogen, the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (IVAC), Vaccine and Biological Production Company No. 1 (Vabiotech) and the Center for Research and Production of Vaccines, and Biologicals (Polyvac).

While the production of domestic vaccines is underway, the Government has speeded up purchase of foreign vaccines to vaccinate front line workers and residents in the pandemic-hit areas first.

The country has ordered 30 million doses from AstraZeneca, and the first batch of 117,600 doses arrived in HCMC last month.

The Government has accelerated negotiations with vaccine manufacturers in the U.S., Russia and some other countries to ensure it could get a total 150 million doses this year to cover 70% of its population.

Human trials of the first homegrown COVID-19 vaccine, NANOCOVAX in December 17 with 60 volunteers signing up for the first phase./.

By Huong Giang