Two Thai vaccine prototypes at human trial stage, 5 being tested on animals
The National Vaccine Institute has given a progress report on Thailand’s seven main Covid-19 vaccine programmes.
Two of the seven vaccine candidates have been successfully tested on animals and are moving into human trials, said Dr Nakorn Premsri, director of the institute.
The two candidates entering Phase 2 trials on humans are the mRNA vaccine being developed by Chula Vaccine Research Centre (Chula VRC) and the DNA vaccine developed by BioNet-Asia.
The five other vaccine candidates are all currently being tested on animals.
The protein subunit vaccine developed by Baiya Phytofarm has passed tests for safety and efficacy in animals. It is now being tested on laboratory animals to find out whether it triggers an immune response.
The inactivated vaccine developed by the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) is in the early stage of testing for immunity in laboratory animals.
The viral-like particle (VLP) prototype developed by the Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj and the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), is at the preliminary stage of immunity tests in laboratory animals.
The viral vector vaccine prototype developed by NSTDA is in the early stages of testing for immunity in laboratory animals.
The live-attenuated pathogen developed by NSTDA is in the preliminary stage of immunity tests on laboratory animals.
Nakorn also reported details of progress on BioNet’s DNA vaccine prototype.
"BioNet has received a grant from the Australian government to conduct Phase I human trials in Australia.”
Phase 2 trials on humans are scheduled in Thailand early next year, he added.
Meanwhile Chula VRC expects its mRNA vaccine prototype will enter human trials around April 19 next year.
The mRNA prototype will first be tested on 72 volunteers – aged 18-55 and 36 aged over 55 – to find the appropriate dosage. This group will then be divided into groups of 12 for further testing.
If the tests succeed, the Chula prototype will enter second-phase human trials on 600 people in two age groups in June 2021. Volunteers will be able to register for the trial via Facebook or the Chula VRC website.
