The third phase of the clinical trials for the China-made nasal spray vaccine against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) will be conducted in Iloilo City.
The city is one of the 13 sites in the Philippines identified for the clinical trial.
Developed by Walvax Biotechnology, the COVID-19 nasal spray vaccine targets the mucosa of the nose and throat area where the coronavirus first enters the body, and offer a different immune response.
Dr. Louie Tirador, in an interview over radio station RMN Iloilo, said target number of participants for the clinical trial in the country is around 10,000 to 15, 000 or 500 to 1,000 per site.
The Phase 3 clinical trial will determine whether the nasal spray vaccine is safe and effective against the viral disease, according to Tirador, who serves as the principal investigator of the clinical study.
Unlike intramuscular COVID-19 vaccines, Tirador said the nasal spray vaccine is not painful.
Qualified participants are those, among others, above 18 years old, with some who have not yet received any injected COVID-19 vaccine or have never contracted the disease.
The clinical trial is expected to commence before the end of 2021.IMT
