Germany approves first clinical trial for potential Covid-19 vaccine
Germany has sanctioned its first clinical trial of a potential vaccine for the novel coronavirus, the country’s Paul-Ehrlich-Institut (PEI) regulatory body has said.
The authorization is the result of “careful assessment of the potential risk/benefit profile of the vaccine candidate,” the medical institute said in a statement on Wednesday.
The potential vaccine, named BNT162, was developed by German biotech company BioNTech with US pharma giant Pfizer.
The German trial will be conducted on 200 healthy people between the ages of 18 and 55 in its first stage. After an observational waiting period, more volunteers in the same age range will be vaccinated. It will then be trialed on people who are at a higher risk of Covid-19 infection.