Thailand planning human trials of potential vaccine, with 2021 roll-out

BANGKOK • Thai researchers plan to begin human trials of a potential vaccine for the coronavirus and are preparing 10,000 doses, a senior official said, aiming for a vaccine that could be ready for use by the second half of next year.

Following favourable results in trials on primates, the next step is to manufacture doses for human trials, said Professor Kiat Ruxrungtham, head researcher at Chulalongkorn University's Centre of Excellence in Vaccine Research and Development, yesterday.

"We hope that the vaccine could generate neutralising antibodies in humans (as) seen in monkeys and mice," he said at a briefing in Bangkok.

"If everything goes according to plan, the vaccine will be ready for Thailand in the third or fourth quarter next year."

The Thai study will begin its human trials as early as in September. Globally, 160 vaccines are being studied for Covid-19, of which 21 are at the clinical evaluation stage, according to the World Health Organisation.

China is leading the race, with an experimental vaccine by Sinovac Biotech.

The first stage of Thailand's clinical trials will enrol about 100 volunteers separated into two groups - one for people aged 18 to 60, and the other for 60-to 80-year-olds, Prof Kiat said.

The focus of the first stage, which will take about two months, is to determine the safety and appropriate dosage for human use. The recruitment for volunteers is expected to start in September.

The second stage, likely to begin in December, will involve 500 to 1,000 people.

The vaccine may get emergency-use authorisation from Thailand's Food and Drug Administration and skip the third and final stage, which would use more than 10,000 volunteers in countries with an ongoing outbreak, according to Prof Kiat.

The Chulalongkorn University vaccine employs new mRNA technology that is similar to that of a project led by Massachusetts-based biotechnology firm Moderna. The technique is cost-effective and ideal for large-scale production.

Thailand also has several other Covid-19 vaccine studies under way using a variety of methods.

The production of 10,000 doses for the vaccine trials will start next week. Once the trials have completed all stages, Thailand will start output, with the potential to boost supplies for distribution to neighbouring nations and other low-or middle-income economies.

Thai company BioNet-Asia is preparing its facilities for large-scale manufacturing if the trials prove successful, Prof Kiat said.

REUTERS, BLOOMBERG