China’s Clover Begins COVID-19 Vaccine Trials in Humans

A potential coronavirus vaccine being developed by China's Clover Biopharmaceuticals using GlaxoSmithKline's vaccine booster is now in early-stage testing in humans, the companies said on Friday.

Initial safety data from the trial, which is enrolling about 150 adults and also investigating the vaccine in combination with Dynavax's adjuvant, is expected in August this year, Clover said.

China and the United States have faced off over the health crisis and are driving parallel efforts to get vaccines successfully approved and into large-scale production later this year.

There are currently no approved vaccines or treatments for the illness caused by the new coronavirus, but about a dozen vaccines are being trailed globally.

The virus emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year and has since spread globally, killing more than 450,000 people. An increase in cases in China's capital Beijing has forced authorities to study the genome of a possible new strain.

Clover's trial, which is enrolling about 150 adult and elderly patients, will evaluate two different boosters, or adjuvants, from Britain's GSK and U.S.-based Dynavax in combination with its candidate shot, SCB-2019, the Chinese company said.

June 19, 2020