COVIVAC vaccine given to 131 volunteers in 2nd phase clinical trials
131 volunteers from the communes of Minh Lang, Viet Hung and Bach Thuan in Vu Thu District, Thai Binh Province have received the first shot of Vietnam's homegrown COVIVAC COVID-19 vaccine during its second phase clinical trials.
COVIVAC is developed and produced by the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (IVAC) since May 2020.
COVIVA is Vietnam’s second coronavirus vaccine approved by the Ministry of Health for clinical trials, after Nanocovax. The vaccine began the first phase of clinical trials on 120 volunteers aged from 18 to 59 on March 15.
Thai Binh province is the only locality nationwide selected for the second phase trials.
In the second phase, 375 volunteers, aged over 18, have been chosen. Volunteers were divided into three groups. Members of the first group each received a 3-mcg dose of Covivac. The second group received a 6-mcg dose, and the third received a dose of AstraZeneca.
Thai Binh province is the only locality nationwide selected for the second phase trials.
Earlier, the National Committee for Ethics in Biomedical Research under the Health Ministry held an online meeting to evaluate the results of the first phase of the COVIVAC vaccine’s clinical trials.
The committee said the vaccine was evaluated as safe and had good immunogenicity or eliciting antibodies against the virus on all 120 volunteers of the first phase.
COVIVAC is a viral vector vaccine, which is the same as AstraZeneca but uses a different cell substrate to produce it.
According to IVAC Director Duong Huu Thai, AstraZeneca vaccine is being used in place of a placebo, which would compare the immunogenicity of the two vaccines. Blood samples collected from the second phase will be sent to Canada for an independent evaluation.
