Scientists around the world continue to develop vaccines that can end the pandemic. In Europe, work is continuing to commercialize one that comes from a country that is part of the European Union, which would facilitate the distribution and marketing procedures.
The German vaccine will be tested on 3,000 volunteers in Spain
Among the projects that are beginning to achieve some progress is that of the German pharmaceutical company CureVac (in association with Bayer), which has started its clinical trial in Spain with more than 3,000 volunteers. This is phase 2b / 3, that is, the one that deals with efficacy and safety in humans.
The chosen centers have been BioCruces (Vizcaya), BioDonostia (San Sebastián) and the San Carlos Clinical Hospital in Madrid. The first two, Basque hospitals, started this Monday. While the one located in the Community of Madrid began last week with this trial, which is worldwide.
In each of the hospitals there will be a thousand volunteers, half of them will be given the vaccine and the other half a placebo. During the first days, the San Carlos Clinic in Madrid has vaccinated 45 volunteers with the first dose, although the rate of applications is increasing. For its part, according to sources from BioCruces, “The quota of volunteers is full in the two centers of the Basque Country, although the open application period will continue in the event of possible casualties”.
29 days between the first and second dose
The volunteers they will receive the second dose 29 days after the first dose is given. Before all this, they have to go to be verified that they meet all the safety requirements to participate in the trial. Finally, and after receiving the second dose, They will have to be monitored by the health center, which they will have to go up to seven times.
One of the volunteers stated, after receiving the first dose, at the EFE Agency that “You have to get vaccinated to get out of the pandemic as soon as possible. “ Olga, another participant, also considered “very interesting” to contribute “something that is to help everyone”.
Follow the same method as Pfizer and Moderna
Biopharmaceuticals has developed a vaccine based on the messenger RNA mechanism, the same one used by the two currently distributed by Pfizer and Moderna. It is estimated that it can be commercialized by the end of 2021, if the deadlines are met.