Quebec-based Medicago says its herbal COVID-19 vaccine offers strong protection against the virus and will soon seek regulatory approval from Health Canada.
Medicago announced on Tuesday that its two-dose vaccine was 71% effective in preventing COVID-19 infections in a large study that included several variants, including Delta. The company’s results do not include the emerging variant Omicron, which was not circulating during the study period.
The Quebec-based company said it would seek Canadian approval “imminently” and has also started the approval process with regulators in the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries. The company said it was also preparing to send its data to the World Health Organization.
Medicago uses plants as living factories to grow viral-like particles, which mimic the spike protein that coats the coronavirus. Its UK partner GlaxoSmithKline supplies the vaccine with an immune-boosting chemical called an adjuvant.
As many COVID-19 vaccines have been rolled out around the world, global health authorities are looking for additional candidates in hopes of increasing supply in developing countries. As the Omicron variant spreads, experts have warned that the coronavirus will continue to thrive until large areas of the world are vaccinated.
The Medicago study involved 24,000 adult volunteers who received the vaccine or a placebo injection and who were followed to identify infections and complications from COVID-19. They received two injections three weeks apart.
The company said no serious safety issues were detected and common side effects like fever or fatigue were “mild to moderate” and resolved in three days or less. The results were published in a press release and have yet to be independently verified by experts.
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