Chinese firm says COVID-19 vaccine candidate shows promise in human test
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The experimental shot, developed by a Beijing-based unit of CNBG, has induced high-level antibodies in all the inoculated participants in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial involving 1,120 healthy people, according to preliminary data of the trial.
China National Biotec Group (CNBG) said on Sunday that early human test results for a coronavirus vaccine candidate suggested it could be safe and effective. This is the second vaccine candidate from the firm to show encouraging results in a clinical trial.
The experimental shot, developed by a Beijing-based unit of CNBG, has induced high-level antibodies in all the inoculated participants in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial involving 1,120 healthy people, according to preliminary data of the trial.
Chinese companies and researchers have been allowed to test eight vaccine candidates in humans at home and abroad, making Beijing a major front-runner in the race to develop a shot against the virus that has killed nearly 5,00,000 people globally.
A vaccine has to prove its effectiveness in “Phase 3” human test where thousands of participants are recruited in order to be cleared for sale. To this end, CNBG, affiliated to the state-owned China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm), said on Tuesday it will run a Phase 3 for its vaccine candidate in the United Arab Emirates, without specifying which shot will be tested.