China-based CanSino Biologics is likely to soon commence Phase III clinical trial of its potential Covid-19 vaccine, Ad5-nCOV, in Saudi Arabia.
The vaccine has been manufactured using a harmless cold virus known as adenovirus type-5 (Ad5) which helps in the delivery of genetic material from the coronavirus into the body. The vaccine has been developed in partnership with the military research unit of China.
Saudi Ministry of Health in its statement said, “The Phase III trial will enrol approximately 5,000 subjects. The study will compare Ad5-nCOV to placebo.”
The Ministry added, “Research teams will follow up on participants after they take a dose to ensure that no side effects appear. The follow-up will be through direct visits by the patients to the doctors participating in the study. Patients will also undergo all necessary immunological tests. Furthermore, electronic follow-up methods will be used.”
Previous trial results have demonstrated that the vaccine is safe to use and have the potential to elicit potential immune responses in the majority of trial participants. The first and second phase of the CanSino vaccine trial has been conducted in China.
In the first phase, researchers analysed three different doses of the vaccine in about 108 participants based in China from a period between 16 to 27 March. In the second phase, they evaluated two doses of vaccine provided to 603 participants from a period between 11 to 16 April.
Results proved that the vaccine has good efficiency. Covid-19 antibodies were observed in the plasma of those who participated in the trial. However, there were few side effects noticed, mainly with low vaccine doses.