The Turkish authorities announced that human trials had commenced for its adenovirus vaccine. They hope the new vaccine, along with Turkovac, will boost vaccination efforts occasionally hampered by vaccine hesitancy and anti-vaxxers.
Scientists behind the adenovirus vaccine were joined by professor Hasan Mandal, head of Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBITAK) which supports vaccine development efforts across the country, on Thursday for launch of Phase I trials for the jab. The vaccine is being developed by Institute of Cancer Research of Ankara University in the Turkish capital.
Adenovirus vaccine is among the seven vaccine candidates included in TÜBITAK’s COVID-19 Platform, established to develop vaccines and drugs against coronavirus.
“Three vaccines reached clinical process and this is the last of them,” Mandal told reporters at Ankara City Hospital where the trials have been launched. The development of the vaccine began 16 months ago.
Mandal said the new vaccine’s features include antigens which serve as immunostimulants and unlike others can be taken orally or nasally. He said the vaccine also was “easiest to mass produce” compared to others.
“This vaccine and others will contribute to Turkey’s efforts to become a country that is developing its own vaccines both for itself and for the entire humanity, instead of relying on imports,” he added.
Human trials started with 36 volunteers. Professor Hakan Akbulut, head of the Institute, said they expected the vaccine to be effective against all variants of coronavirus, including the omicron variant.
“It is designed to be at least six-fold efficient than other vaccines and we expect it to provide a long-term immunity. In other words, its protection against virus will last for about two years, so a new dose will not be required every three or four months,” he added.
