Vietnam completes second stage of homegrown Nano Covax trials

Nano
Covax is developed by the Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC.

The
second stage trials of the vaccine were conducted on 560 volunteers divided
into four groups, with 80 people injected with a placebo and three other groups
administered with 25mcg, 50mcg, and 75mcg doses. However, only 554 received
second shots because six people withdrew from the trial.

All
of the vaccinated volunteers have developed antibodies against COVID-19 at
different levels.

Regarding
the antibody index to neutralise the virus, people injected with 25mcg dose got
the highest index with more than 90 percent at 14 days after the second
shot and 42 days since the first jabs.

The
research team is expected to submit a report to the Research Ethics Committee
of the Ministry of Health on April 27 and propose a plan for the third phase of
, possibly on May 5.

The
third phase of human trials is expected to involve 10,000-15,000 people in both
Vietnam and Asian countries with severe coronavirus outbreaks. Volunteers will
be administered with 25mcg – the only dose for this stage. Each person will
receive two jabs. They are set to get second shots of Nano Covax 28 days after
the first one.

Navo
Covax vaccine started testing on humans on December 17 last year and has
completed the second phase. It is prepared to enter the third phase, the final
stage of testing before mass production.

The
first-stage trials of Nano Covax showed the vaccine was safe and vaccinated
volunteers had antibodies against the UK variant (B117).

Based
on the results of the first and second phases, experts are optimistic that if
the tests are successful, the third phase of the trial will be completed at the
end of the third quarter, shortening the research by three months compared to
previously planned.

Meanwhile,
more than 209,600 Vietnamese people have been vaccinated against COVID-19 so
far.

The
Ministry of Health said that by 4pm on Sunday, the 209,632 vaccinated people
included frontline doctors, medical staff, sample collectors, contact tracers,
members of community-based anti-COVID-19 groups as well as members of the
Steering Committees for COVID-19 Prevention and Control of localities./.