Around 200 people register for made-in-Vietnam COVID-19 vaccine trials

About 200 people have registered to participate in the clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccine Nanocovax, a health official said on December 16. ​

If the trials show good results, the Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC plans to administer Nanocovax to the public in May 2021. (Photo: VOV)

Developed by the Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC and the Vietnam Military Medical University, Nanocovax is Vietnam's first COVID-19 candidate vaccine to reach the human trial stage.

According to Nguyen Ngo Quang, Deputy Director of the Health Ministry’s Department of Science, Technology and Training, 60 people aged between 18 and 50 will be selected among the volunteers for the first phase of the trials.

The test will last for 56 days from the day given of the first injection. The participants will be under medical monitoring for six months.

The Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC has spent 20 billion VND (865,946 USD) buying a health insurance package for the volunteers.

If the trials show good results, the drug-maker plans to administer Nanocovax to the public in May 2021.

Apart from Nanocovax, Vietnam has several other COVID-19 candidate vaccines being developed by Vabiotech, Polyvac, and the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals.

Vietnam reported no new COVID-19 infections on December 16, with the tally standing at 1,405, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

Of the total, 693 cases were transmitted domestically. December 16 marked the 15th consecutive day without community-transmitted infections in the country.

As of December 16 afternoon, 1,252 patients had been given the all-clear. The fatalities remain at 35.

Among patients still under treatment, three have tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 once, six twice and six thrice.

A total of 18,378 people who had close contact with COVID-19 patients or arrived from pandemic-hit areas are being quarantined nationwide, with 207 at hospitals, 15,567 at concentration facilities and 2,804 at home or their accommodations.

Vietnam starts human trials of COVID-19 vaccine

The first shot of vaccine Nanocovax, Vietnam's first Covid-19 vaccine, is given to a male volunteer. (Photo: VNA)   Three of the 60 volunteers eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine trial receive the first shots. The core purpose of the first phase of human trials is to evaluate the safety of a vaccine when used on humans, not its effectiveness, potency, or ability to provoke an immune response in the body. (Photo: VNA)

The vaccine is produced by the Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology company, one of four organisations researching COVID-19 vaccines in Vietnam. (Photo: VNA)

Director of the Military Medical Academy Do Quyet at a meeting before starting the first injection of COVID-19 vaccine Nanocovax on three volunteers. (Photo: VNA)   Director of the Military Medical Academy Do Quyet chairs a meeting before starting the first injection of COVID-19 vaccine Nanocovax on three volunteers. (Photo: VNA)

The volunteers are injected with the first dose of the vaccine on December 17 and the second dose 28 days later, according to the Health Ministry. (Photo: VNA)   Vietnam starts human trials of a COVID-19 vaccine, with vaccine injections taking place at the Hanoi-based Military Medical Academy. (Photo: VNA)

Local COVID-19 vaccine likely to receive rollout in mid-2021

Local COVID-19 vaccine Nanocovax is anticipated to be put into use by the middle of 2021 following the conclusion of the evaluation results of the ongoing human trials and the facilitation of administrative procedures, 

Vietnam starts human trials of COVID-19 vaccine

Vietnam has started human trials of a COVID-19 vaccine.