Japanese firm to conduct Covid vaccine clinical trial in Vietnam

Isao Teshirogi, CEO of Shionogi, on Monday said the firm’s vaccine would be a "recombinant protein" one, Nikkei Asia reported.

The vaccine would utilize "genetically modified insect cells" to produce copies of the coronavirus spike protein to trigger immune response, a technique which has been used by several other vaccine manufacturers.

Shionogi said the firm is seeking approval for the vaccine in Japan to make it available domestically by the end of March 2022.

Besides the vaccine, Shionogi is also developing a Covid-19 drug whose clinical trials already began in Japan since September. Vietnam, along with Singapore, South Korea and the U.K., is also expected to begin trial for the drug as early as this month.

Previously in July, Shionogi had signed a contract with Vabiotech and AIC to transfer Covid-19 vaccine production technologies, according to the Ministry of Health. Teshirogi said Vietnam agreed with the clinical trials in exchange for the technology transfer.

Vietnam has vaccinated 58 million people with at least one Covid-19 vaccine shots. 25.1 million people have been fully vaccinated.