CanSino to start Phase III trial of COVID-19 vaccine in Saudi
FILE PHOTO: Chinese vaccine maker CanSino Biologics' sign is pictured on its building in Tianjin, China November 20, 2018. REUTERS/Stringer Purchase Licensing Rights
DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia will soon begin Phase III clinical trials on around 5,000 people for a COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's CanSino Biologics Inc <6185.HK>, a Saudi health ministry spokesman said on Sunday.
Last month, CanSino's co-founder said the company was in talks with Russia, Brazil, Chile and Saudi Arabia to launch a Phase III trial of the vaccine candidate, Ad5-nCOV. [nL3N2EI032]
The vaccine uses a harmless cold virus known as adenovirus type-5 (Ad5) to carry genetic material from the coronavirus into the body.
Researchers said last month that CanSino's vaccine, co-developed with China's military research unit, appeared to be safe and induced immune responses in most subjects. [nL3N2ER36S]
Saudi Arabia plans to test the vaccine alongside a placebo on 5,000 volunteers and is currently preparing trials in the cities of Riyadh, Dammam and Mecca, Saudi state news agency SPA said on Saturday.
No COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for commercial use.
CanSino's candidate became the first in China to move into human testing in March but other potential vaccines developed by Sinovac Biotech and a unit of China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) have already been approved for Phase III trials overseas. [nL3N2F1452]
Reporting by Nafisa Eltahir; Writing by Yousef Saba; editing by David Evans
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