Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam chairs the latest meeting of the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control. Photo: Dinh Nam

At the meeting of the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control on March 22, Mr. Nguyen Ngo Quang, Deputy head of the Department of Science, Technology and Training under the Ministry of Health, said there are four agencies involved in the research and development of Covid-19 vaccine.

Nanocovax vaccine of Nanogen is now in trial of phase 2.

The trial of phase 1 showed that 100% of vaccinated people were safe and produced antibodies at high concentrations, with good protective effects, and tested effectively for new variants of virus SARS-CoV-2 like the strains discovered in the UK.

Trial in phase 2 is halfway through now but has very optimistic prospects. It is expected that by the end of April, the research team will release results of the phase 2 clinical trial.

It is expected that in early May, Nanocovax vaccine will enter phase 3 of clinical trial. The trial will be completed by the end of March, three months shorter compared to the initial plan.

For the Covivac vaccine of the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (IVAC), although only six volunteers were tested in the first phase of trial, the initial results have been good. In particular, the expected cost of this vaccine is very inexpensive.

Volunteers participate in the second phase trial of Nanocovax vaccine. Photo: Thuy Hanh

Based on experience learned from the clinical trial of Nanocovax vaccine, the process of clinical trials of phase 1 and 2 of Covivac vaccine will be faster.

Regarding the Vabiotech vaccine, the results in the lab are very optimistic, and clinical trials in phase one are expected to begin in early April.

The advantage of this vaccine is that when it is successfully developed, it can be adjusted very quickly when there is a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Mr. Quang emphasized that vaccine research and development activities in Vietnam fully comply with procedures and standards. During the research process, Vietnamese vaccine developers have been closely cooperating and exchanging directly with reputable vaccine research and production agencies in the world.

The World Health Organization (WHO) will have official guidance on vaccine testing on the principle of comparison with vaccines that have been licensed for official use. This will create more favorable conditions for the phase 3 vaccine trial in Vietnam, especially when they are compared with the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is being used in Vietnam.

Vietnam has made great strides in vaccine research and development, experts said. "It is hoped that by the end of the third quarter, Vietnam will have the first vaccine to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic," Quang said.

Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also affirmed that they will closely coordinate and support local vaccine producers to conduct the clinical trial of phase 3 overseas.

Thuy Hanh

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