VIDO-Intervac gets green light to begin COVID-19 clinical trials

VIDO-Intervac’s COVID-19 vaccine has cleared another milestone.

The research facility at the University of Saskatchewan was given the green light from Health Canada to begin its Phase 1 clinical trial Tuesday.

“The approval to initiate a human clinical trial is a milestone for VIDO,” VIDO Director and CEO Dr. Volker Gerdts said in a news release.

“This is the first of our two COVID-19 subunit vaccines in development and demonstrates the quality of our research, development and partnerships.”

The authorization from Health Canada means the Canadian Center for Vaccinology (CCfV) in Halifax can start recruiting volunteers for Phase 1 clinical trials. Volunteers are expected to be vaccinated in January.

“This is the first university-based COVID-19 vaccine to begin Phase 1 testing at CCfV. The purpose of this trial is to demonstrate the safety of the vaccine in humans,” CCfV director Dr. Scott Halperin said.

According to the news release, subunit-based vaccines have been used in many commercially available vaccines, including for hepatitis, diphtheria, and whooping cough.

These vaccines do not require ultra-cold storage temperatures.

If trials and regulatory approvals continue as anticipated, VIDO expects to have one of its vaccines ready for us by late 2021, Gerdts said in the release.

“To have sustainable long-term vaccine access, I think it’s important for Canada to continue on with its own vaccines,” he said. “COVID-19 is not going to go away.”