Canadian medicago begins clinical trial of plant-based COVID-19 vaccine

Toronto, July 14 (Sputnik) – Canadian biopharmaceutical company Medicago is beginning the first stage of clinical trials of a plant-based novel coronavirus vaccine, the company said in a statement on Tuesday.
“We are thrilled to see our COVID-19 vaccine candidate enter the Phase 1 trial, and we look forward to obtaining safety and immunogenicity results in October,” Medicago Executive Vice-President said. “Our progress continues to demonstrate the value of Medicago’s unique plant-based vaccine technology.”
The first stage of clinical trials will entail the randomized observation of 180 healthy volunteers, men and women aged 18 to 55 years, who will be immunized with varying doses of only the plant-based vaccine and in combination with an auxiliary stimulating substance.
Medicago said that volunteers were administered the first doses on Monday.
The company said that it intends to move to the second and third phases of the clinical trials in October, adding that it expects to produce approximately 100 million doses by the end of 2021.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has repeatedly stressed the daily constraints that much of the population is adhering to will be the new normal until a vaccine is developed.