By Juliano Oliveira
The first human trials of a potential COVID-19 vaccine will start within one week in Brisbane. The initial tests have already begun in Melbourne.
American biotechnology company, Novavax, will conduct a trial program involving 130 participants, aged 18 to 59 years.
“We are, in parallel, making doses – making vaccines – in anticipation that we’ll be able to show it’s working and be able to start deploying it by the end of this year,” affirmed Novavax research head Dr Gregory Glenn in a virtual press conference in Melbourne.
During an interview with Nine’s Today show, Brisbane’s infectious diseases expert Dr Paul Griffin, who will be overseeing the initial trials, said that “healthy volunteers will receive this vaccine for the first time and it’s predominantly about safety. So we will carefully monitor them throughout.”
Involved personnel with the program expect that the treatment outcomes enhance the immune response and stimulate high levels of neutralising antibodies among the patients.
Preliminary results are expected in July.