Japan's KM Biologics begins clinical trial of COVID-19 vaccine candidate

AnGes

22/03/2021 08:40

TOKYO, March 22 (Reuters) - Japan's KM Biologics Co said on
Monday it had started a human trial for its COVID-19 vaccine,
becoming the country's third candidate to advance to clinical
trials.
    The first volunteer was injected with the inactivated virus
vaccine known as KD-414, the company said in a release. KM
Biologics, a subsidiary of confectionary maker Meiji Holdings Co
 2269.T , is also involved in the domestic production of
AstraZeneca Plc's  AZN.L  COVID-19 vaccine.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2KB0FD
    The two-course vaccine will be administered with a 27-day
interval, KM Biologics said.
    The study is a combined Phase 1 and Phase 2 trial involving
210 subjects to test the vaccine's safety and ability to trigger
an immune response, the company said. 
    KM Biologics, based in Kumamoto prefecture, southern Japan,
makes vaccines against influenza, hepatitis, and Japanese
encephalitis. 
    Japan began its COVID-19 inoculation campaign last month
with a vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc  PFE.N  and BioNTech
PFE.N,  BNTX.O  and imported from Europe. 
    But production problems and import hurdles have highlighted
the need for Japan to boost its own vaccine production
infrastructure.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2LE05Q
    AnGes Inc  4563.T  and Shionogi & Co  4507.T  were the first
Japanese companies to move their COVID-19 vaccine candidates
into human trials.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2HI1WQ urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nT9N2HW02Q

 (Reporting by Rocky Swift; Editing by Miyoung Kim and Louise
Heavens)
 ((ran.kim@thomsonreuters.com; +81-3-4520-1228;))