China launches human trials for new COVID-19 vaccine

Beijing: Chinese authorities have approved a new COVID-19 vaccine candidate for human trials, the Institute of Microbiology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said in a statement.

The recombinant protein vaccine was issued with a clinical research permit from the National Medical Products Administration on June 19, according to the institute, which is the vaccine’s main developer.

Researchers will start phase-1 clinical trials in hospitals in Chongqing and Beijing, to determine whether the vaccine is safe for use on humans, its co-developer Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd. confirmed.