COVID-19 Vaccine Trials Slated for Brazil, South Korea

Brazil’s Ministry of Health has approved clinical trials for AstraZeneca’s and Oxford University’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

The first round of trials will test the vaccine in 2,000 volunteers who have not previously contracted COVID-19. It is being conducted by the Federal University of São Paulo and funded by Brazil’s Lemann Foundation.

The approval makes Brazil the first country outside of the UK to test the vaccine.

AZD1222 is currently in phase 2 clinical testing in the UK. AstraZeneca is planning a large-scale phase 3 trial of the vaccine this summer in the U.S. to be funded by HHS’ Operation Warp Speed (DID, May 22).

Meanwhile, Inovio will begin testing its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, INO-4800, in a phase 1/2 clinical trial in South Korea.

The trial is the first of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate in South Korea. It is being conducted in collaboration with the International Vaccine Institute and Seoul National University Hospital.

The study will initially assess the vaccine’s safety, tolerability and immunogenicity in 40 adults ages 19 to 50 years old. It will later enroll an additional 120 patients between the ages of 19 to 64 years old.

Inovio began a similar trial in the U.S. in early April. Results of that trial are expected this month. — Jordan Williams