Massachusetts-based VBI Vaccines has entered into an agreement with the Canadian government to develop a coronavirus vaccine through phase 2 testing by 2022.

Under the agreement, VBI subsidiary Variation Biotechnologies will develop a broadly reactive vaccine against COVID-19, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or a vaccine targeting only COVID-19.

The government will contribute $42 million for the project and about 75 percent of VBI’s costs for the study, which is expected to be exclusively conducted in Canada.