PM decides to provide financial support for COVIVAC vaccine trials

The Prime Minister has decided to use over VND 8.8 billion from the national COVID-19 vaccine fund to support the first and second phase of clinical trials of COVIVAC vaccine, which has been developed by the Health Ministry’s Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (IVAC) since May 2020.

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)
Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

COVIVAC uses viral vector technology on primary chicken embryo cell culture - a technique IVAC used previously to successfully produce seasonal flu vaccines. It is preserved at temperatures from 2-8 degrees Celsius.

In the first phase, it was evaluated as safe, well-tolerant and immunogenic.

The second phase will be carried out in Vu Thu district, northern Thai Binh province, with 375 volunteers.

COVIVAC is the second “made-in-Vietnam” vaccine to be allowed for clinical trials by the Health Ministry, following Nanogen company’s NanoCovax.