Coronavirus: Chinese firm says its vaccine candidate passes phase two clinical trials
- China National Biotec Group (CNBG) says tests show its vaccine is safe, and now looks to clinical trials overseas
- China has five vaccines under clinical study, with Sinovac Biotech’s candidate also completing a phase two trial
A potential Chinese Covid-19 vaccine, which has completed phase one and phase two human trials, is generally safe and can generate immune response in test subjects, the vaccine’s developer, China National Biotec Group, said on Tuesday.
The vaccine candidate, developed by a CNBG subsidiary, the Wuhan Institute of Biological Products, began human trials in Henan province in April. Volunteers 18 to 59 years old were inoculated with low, medium and high doses and were given a second shot two weeks, three weeks or four weeks later to study the safety and immunity response of the vaccine, CNBG said.
A total of 1,120 volunteers have been given the vaccine, which involves the full inactivated Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. The study, which was randomised, double-blind and placebo-controlled, shows that the vaccine is safe with no accident or severe adverse events, according to the company.
“High levels of antibodies” have been induced among different inoculation programme and in different dose groups, it added.
The programme inoculating volunteers with two doses four weeks apart induced neutralising antibodies – blocking pathogens from infecting human cells – in all its test subjects, the company said.
“This study is the world’s first clinical trial to obtain safety and effectiveness data of a two-dose inactivated Covid-19 vaccine … The research also involves the longest period, the most comprehensive data and the most satisfying clinical research results of Covid-19 vaccine clinical trial,” the group said.