One of the three first volunteers receiving first shots of 50mcg dose of COVID-19 vaccine (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Three first volunteers receivedthe first shot of a dose of 50mcg of Nanocovax COVID-19 vaccine on December 26morning.
Developed by the Nanogen PharmaceuticalBiotechnology JSC and the Vietnam Military Medical University, Nanocovax isVietnam's first COVID-19 candidate vaccine to reach the human trial stage.
A total of 60 volunteers, aged 18-50, were selectedfor the first phase of the clinical trials. They are divided into three groupsfor receiving three doses of 25 mcg, 50 mcg and 75 mcg, respectively. Thevaccination consists of two injections 28 days apart.
After the injection, the volunteers have been put underhealth monitoring at the Hanoi-based Military Medical University for 72 hours.The remaining 17 in the group will get injections of the 50mcg dose if thevaccine’s safety is confirmed.
The first group testing the 25 mcg dose received thefirst injections on December 17. According to Major General Hoang Van Luong,Deputy Director of the university, after the shots, all the 20 volunteers inthe group are in stable condition with no abnormal signs detected.
The first phase is scheduled to end after a monthand a half, during which the university will continue to select suitablevolunteers for the second, which is scheduled to begin in March 2021.
The participants will be under medical monitoringfor six months from the day they were given the first injection.
The Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC hasspent 20 billion VND (865,946 USD) buying a health insurance package for thevolunteers.
Apart from Nanocovax, Vietnam has several otherCOVID-19 candidate vaccines being developed by Vabiotech, Polyvac, and theInstitute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals./.
VNA
