ARCHIVED - Clinical trials of Spanish Covid vaccine suspendedÂ
Permission to trial the Spanish vaccine in humans has been withheld after adverse affects were observed in a macaque monkey
One of the leading projects to develop a Spanish vaccine against Covid-19 has run into major difficulties, it was reported over the weekend, with the news that the green light has not been given for trials in human beings after adverse effects were observed in the lungs of a macaque monkey being used in animal trials.
The project is being overseen by Spanish virologist Mariano Esteban at the Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CSIC) in collaboration with Biofabri, and although it is still on-going the news comes as a major setback: at one point it was reported that the vaccine under development provided a level of protection against coronavirus infection of very nearly 100 per cent.
Outwardly at least, there is optimism that permission to test the vaccine on humans could still be granted, and the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices is yet to evaluate the latest clinical testing results. The CSIC has reported that the monkey affected during animal trials did not die, and there are still hopes that the first phase of testing in 112 human volunteers could go ahead as planned at the Hospital de la Paz in Madrid.
If this does happen and the results are favourable, the second phase would be on a sample of 500 volunteers, while the third and final phase would require the participation of between 20,000 and 30,000 people.
Commenting on the latest news, Mariano Esteban is quoted as saying that “the alarm bells are sounding without any justification”. However, he also acknowledged that as yet it is not possible to set a date on which clinical testing will begin, adding that his team are also working on two other types of vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 and that the project is far from over.
Image: Biofabri