Chulalongkorn closes vaccine trial applications early as enough people sign up

The Faculty of Medicine at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University has closed volunteer applications for its Covid-19 vaccine trials as enough people have already signed up. Nation Thailand reports that the Chula Vaccine Research Centre closed applications ahead of schedule as it already has enough volunteers. The Thai vaccine candidate, named ChulaCov19, is an mRNA vaccine, which is expected to begin second-phase trials by the end of this month.

Participants in the trials must be between the ages of 56 and 75 with no underlying health conditions. They must also have never contracted Covid-19 or been vaccinated against the virus. Volunteers who pass the initial screening stage will be contacted by August 15, while those not selected will be informed by SMS.

Nation Thailand reports that the vaccine is being developed with the support of the US academic who invented mRNA vaccine technology. Professor Drew Weissman from the University of Pennsylvania developed the vaccine from Covid-19’s genetic material, without the need to use any infection. The technology works by prompting the body to create spike proteins, which stimulate the immune system to fight the virus.

ChulaCov19 trials have already proved successful on monkeys and mice, followed by a first phase of human trials on June 14. The second phase is expected to begin by the end of the month.

SOURCE: Nation Thailand