Viet Nam will conduct the first phase of human trials of a locally made Covid-19 vaccine from December 10, Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said at a meeting with Vietnamese vaccine producers on December 5.

Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long (standing) at the meeting with Vietnamese vaccine producers on December 5 (Photo: VNA).

To date, Vietnamese producers have worked to accelerate the research of Covid-19 vaccines, with Ivac, Vabiotech and Nanogen completing production process at laboratory scale and currently evaluating the vaccines’ safety and immunity in animals. Meanwhile, Nanogen is now ready to pilot the first phase of human trial.

Nanogen will join hands with the Military Medical University to recruit volunteers for the first phase of clinical trial on December 10.

At the meeting, experts and vaccine producers discussed progress of vaccine production and challenges during vaccine development, as well as outline solutions for the time ahead.

Laying stress on the significance of Covid-19 vaccine production, Long said the ministry has promoted domestic research and production while enhancing cooperation with international vaccine developers so as to gain early access to vaccine sources.

He urged local vaccine producers to speed up their work in order to launch human trial soon, and pledged support for the producers, including minimising administrative procedures and facilitating product registration and licensing.

The Ministry of Health will work with competent agencies to help producers get access to capital for vaccine development and production, he added.

Long requested vaccine producer Polivac to continue with its research on Covid-19 vaccine, while coordinating with Russia and China to leverage access to vaccine suppliers in the two nations.

Source: VNA