A POTENTIAL COVID-19 vaccine developed by a subsidiary of Shenzhen-listed Livzon Pharmaceutical Group Inc. appeared safe and able to elicit antibodies in healthy adults in a mid-stage clinical trial, Chinese researchers said.

Most adverse events after Livzon’s shot were mild or moderate, with one severe adverse event that appeared to be related to the vaccine reported, researchers said in a peer-reviewed paper published last week in the Chinese Medical Journal.

The result is based on preliminary data from a Phase II trial involving over 800 participants aged over 18.

Those who received two shots of a lower or higher dosage showed antibody levels that were about two to three times higher than those found from recovered COVID-19 patients’ blood serum, researchers said.

The lower-dose regimen will be used in a Phase III trial, they said.

The candidate, named V-01, is among 22 vaccines that China has approved to enter clinical trials and is a recombinant protein vaccine, which uses a technique based on the new coronavirus’ protein, or part of the virus’ protein, replicated by scientists.

China has already approved seven locally developed COVID-19 vaccines and has administered more than 1.3 billion doses so far. (SD-Agencies)