11 September 2020

China has granted approval to conduct human clinical trials of the country’s first nasal spray Covid-19 vaccine candidate developed by a team of researchers led by the University of Hong Kong. The Phase I trials, scheduled to launch in November this year, will enrol 100 participants, reported Global Times. This vaccine candidate is said to be the first of its kind to secure authorisation from the China National Medical Products Administration.

Serum Institute of India (SII) has paused its clinical trials of the University of Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine candidate after receiving a show-cause notice from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). AstraZeneca temporarily paused its studies after a participant developed unexplained illness. SII said that it had not faced any issues in its trials so far, but temporarily stopped them as per DCGI’s instructions.

The Brazilian state of Bahia has agreed to perform Phase III clinical trials of Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine, and intends to purchase 50 million doses to distribute in Brazil, according to Reuters citing officials. Bahia is set to receive 500 doses after regulator Anvisa approves the trial protocol.