Canadian company sees positive results in early coronavirus vaccine tests

Medicago says it has received promising early test results for its plant-derived vaccine for the novel coronavirus.

The Quebec City-based company says interim results of a Phase 1 clinical trial found that 100 per cent of subjects developed a promising antibody response after two doses of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

Medicago says the side effects were generally mild to moderate and short in duration.

The Phase 1 clinical trial was a randomized, partially blinded study of 180 healthy people.

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Based on the Phase 1 data, Medicago plans to proceed with a Phase 2/3 clinical trial for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, subject to regulatory approval.

The federal government has signed a $173-million contract with Medicago to secure the rights to buy 76 million doses of its vaccine, should it meet health and safety standards.