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* Clover's vaccine will test GSK, Dynavax boosters in 150
adults
* Builds on earlier collaborations with the UK, U.S.
drugmakers
* Initial data from study expected in August
(Adds context on China, Dynavax and GSK efforts)
June 19 (Reuters) - Clover Biopharmaceuticals became the
sixth Chinese developer of a potential COVID-19 vaccine to move
into human trials on Friday, launching a study in Australia that
will test its vaccine with boosters.
China and the United States have faced off over the health
crisis and are driving parallel efforts to get vaccines
successfully approved and into large-scale production later this
year.
There are currently no approved vaccines or treatments for
the illness caused by the new coronavirus, but about a dozen
vaccines are being trialled globally.
The virus emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last
year and has since spread globally, killing more than 450,000
people.
An increase in cases in China's capital Beijing has forced
authorities to study the genome of a possible new strain.
Clover's trial, which is enrolling about 150 adult and
elderly patients, will evaluate two different boosters, or
adjuvants, from Britain's GSK and U.S.-based Dynavax
in combination with its candidate shot, SCB-2019, the
Chinese company said.
China's CanSino Biological, Sinopharm and the
Wuhan Institute of Biological Products are among those already
testing vaccines, as are AstraZeneca, Moderna
and Germany's CureVac. (https://bit.ly/2BjLVK7)
Clover said initial safety data from its study was expected
in August this year, and it would aim to start broader studies
by year end. Its vaccine is based on proteins called antigens
that will be taken in combination with the adjuvants.(https://bwnews.pr/2YMttSB)
GSK, the world's largest vaccine maker, has shied away from
developing its own vaccine and has instead focused efforts on
contributing its adjuvant expertise in the global race. (https://bit.ly/3hJMY71)
Adjuvants, or efficacy boosters, are added to some vaccines
to boost immune response with the aim of creating a longer
immunity against an infection.
Dynavax's booster CpG 1018, being tested with Clover's shot,
was developed as an adjuvant for the U.S. company's Hepatitis B
vaccine.
(Reporting by Pushkala Aripaka and Manas Mishra in Bengaluru
and Ludwig Burger in Frankfurt; Editing by Anil D'Silva, Aditya
Soni and Louise Heavens)
