China approves human trial of new Covid vaccines

CHENGDU, Aug 26 (Xinhua): China has approved the human trial of a new COVID-19 vaccine produced by using insect cells, said Chinese officials.

Vaccine developers at the West China Hospital of Sichuan University Monday said the recombinant protein vaccine was issued with a clinical research permit from the National Medical Products Administration, reports Xinhua.

According to researchers, it will be China's first COVID-19 vaccine candidate grown in insect cells for humans.

The vaccine is designed to trigger antibodies against specific areas on the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

The results of animal tests were published in the journal Nature on July 29, which showed that the vaccine could induce immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 infection in mice, rabbits and non-human primates as early as seven or 14 days after a single dose injection, with 'no obvious' side effects.0