⁍ The Israel Institute for Biological Research began animal trials for its ‘BriLife’ vaccine in March.
⁍ The Health Ministry and an oversight committee have now given the green light to take it to the next stage.
⁍ If successful, the vaccine may then be approved for mass use.
– Israel’s Health Ministry has given the go-ahead for human trials of a potential coronavirus vaccine, Reuters reports. Eighty volunteers between the ages of 18 and 55 will be monitored for three weeks to see if they develop antibodies to the COVID-19 vaccine. A second phase, involving 960 people over the age of 18, will begin in December, and a third, larger-scale phase with 30,000 volunteers is scheduled for April/May. “Our final goal is 15 million rations for the residents of the State of Israel and for our close neighbors,” says the director of the Israel Institute for Biological Research, which developed the vaccine. There are no internationally approved vaccines yet, but several are in advanced trials, including from Pfizer Inc, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca Plc, and Moderna.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-israel-vaccine/israel-to-start-covid-19-vaccine-human-trials-on-nov-1-idUSKBN27A0U6