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JERUSALEM – Israel will begin human trials for a possible COVID-19 vaccine developed by a research institute overseen by the Defense Ministry on November 1 after receiving regulatory approval, the ministry said on Sunday.
The Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR) began animal testing of its “BriLife” vaccine in March. The Ministry of Health and an oversight committee have given the green light to take it to the next stage.
Eighty volunteers between the ages of 18 and 55 will be monitored for three weeks to see if antibodies to the virus develop, the ministry said in a statement. A second phase, expected to begin in December, will involve 960 people over the age of 18.
If successful, a large-scale third phase with 30,000 volunteers is scheduled for April / May 2021. If successful, the vaccine can be approved for mass use.
The vaccine, the ministry said, has already been well tested in various animal models and the IIBR has produced more than 25,000 doses for the first and second phase of clinical trials.
“Our ultimate goal is 15 million rations for the residents of the State of Israel and for our close neighbors,” said IIBR Director Shmuel Shapira.
There are no internationally approved vaccines yet, but several are in advanced trials, including those from Pfizer Inc., Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca Plc. And Modern.
Israel, with a population of 9 million, has begun easing a second coronavirus lockdown across the country after a steady decline in the rate of daily infections. The country registered 692 new cases on Saturday, down from a peak of more than 9,000 several weeks ago. It has reported 2,372 deaths from the pandemic. – Reuters
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