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KENILWORTH, NJ: US drugmaker Merck & Co has begun recruiting participants for its early-stage COVID-19 vaccine study, according to the government’s Clinicaltrials.gov database.
The phase 1/2 trial, which is based in Belgium, aims to recruit 260 healthy participants to test the experimental V591 vaccine, which it gained access to as part of its May agreement for Austrian vaccine maker Themis Bioscience. .
The vaccine is based on a modified measles virus that carries parts of the new coronavirus to the body to prevent COVID-19.
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Merck is late to join the race to develop a safe and effective vaccine for the rapidly spreading respiratory disease, as rivals Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna are already in an advanced stage of testing.
The drug maker is also collaborating with nonprofit IAVI research on a second vaccine candidate that uses the same technology as Merck’s Ebola vaccine, ERVEBO.
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Earlier this month, CEO Kenneth Frazier had said the second candidate is likely to begin testing later this year.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the news on Friday (September 11).
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