A further 17 people out of the 60 volunteers participating in the first phase of human trials to develop Nanocovax, a locally-produced novel coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine, received their vaccine shots on December 22 at the Military Medical Academy. 

The first phase of the clinical trial has been divided into three stages, with 20 people for each stage being administered doses ranging from 25mcg to 50mcg and then up to 75 mcg.

According to experts conducting the trials, if the results are reported to be safe among the first group after three days, the second group will receive a shot of 50 mcg, with all of their identities being kept confidential.

This comes after human trials for the vaccine got underway with the first three volunteers, including two men and women, receiving the first dose of 25 mcg on December 17. At present, their health remains in a stable condition and they are being strictly monitored at their places of residence.

Each of the volunteers received two doses of the vaccine intramuscularly, with the interval between the doses being 28 days. Each volunteer will be placed under strict observation for a 56-day period in an effort to assess the vaccine’s safety, whilst they will also be monitored for six months after receiving their first dose.

The clinical trial process on humans to develop the Nanocovax vaccine will consist of three stages, with the first phase being implemented between December to February, 2021, in Hanoi.

The second phase is set to be deployed from February to August, 2021, and will include the participation of between 400 and 600 volunteers aged between 12 and 75. The Military Medical Academy, Pasteur Institute of Ho Chi Minh City, and the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology will co-ordinate efforts to carry out this phase.

The third phase will run from August, 2021 to February, 2022, and will involve between 1,500 to 3,000 subjects aged between 12 and 75.

Nanocovax is the first locally-produced vaccine to be put into clinical trial. In addition to Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC, the nation has three other vaccine manufacturers, including Vabiotech, Ivac, and Polyvac, all of which are in their clinical research phase.

Do Minh Si, research director at Nanogen, said the entire clinical trial process on humans is anticipated to conclude during the fourth quarter of next year.