Vietnamese scientists are expected to conduct human trials of a locally made COVID-19 vaccine in November, which will be assisted by a group of 60 volunteers.

The trial of the vaccine researched by Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Ltd. Co. was announced at a meeting on COVID-19 vaccine trial and testing on Monday.

Nanogen is among four companies in Vietnam that are studying COVID-19 vaccines.

The company’s vaccine is expected to be the first vaccine to reach the stage of human trials. 

The vaccine has been tested on animals and was also checked by the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology. 

However, the Ministry of Health asked the firm to send the vaccine sample to South Korea for tests, according to Nhan Dan (People) newspaper.

The test results should be announced in December of this year, which the health ministry will use to decide whether or not to license the vaccine for human trials in the same month.

At Monday’s meeting, a representative of the health ministry pledged to give maximum support to vaccine manufacturers.

At the same time, the ministry required strict compliance with regulations on ensuring safety for volunteers and ethical practices in biomedical research.

Besides Nanogen’s vaccine, another made-in-Vietnam COVID-19 vaccine is also expected to be tested on humans in early 2021.

Some 187 companies around the world are developing COVID-19 vaccines, of which 38 are being tested on humans, according to acting Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long.

If Vietnam’s vaccine is tested on humans this month, it will be the 39th product to enter the human trial phase.

The Ministry of Health and scientists are hoping to have a commercially-viable COVID-19 vaccine in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Vietnam has also registered to receive priority access to a COVID-19 vaccine when it is available on the market. 

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