(Yicai Global) June 14 -- Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University told Yicai Global that it is recruiting test subjects after last month launching an exploratory Phase I clinical study of the mRNA Covid-19 vaccine developed by a Shanghai-based biotech company.

The hospital will enroll 60 volunteers aged under 70 who have received two doses of inactivated Covid-19 vaccine, the last of which was more than six months ago, for a randomized, open, and controlled study of the mRNA shot developed by Stemirna Therapeutics, it said.

Stemirna announced on April 30 that it had won approval from China’s National Medical Products Administration to launch clinical trials of the vaccine.

To take part in the clinical trial, participants must have a negative nucleic acid test result and no history of SARS or Covid-19 infection, the hospital added, noting that test subjects also must have no major organ problems and have control over any chronic diseases.

Zhongshan Hospital said the vaccine was designed and developed on the antigenic molecular structure characteristics of two internationally approved mRNA vaccines containing the D614G mutation. The jab can neutralize existing prevalent strains with two or three doses or a booster shot added to two doses of inactivated vaccine, it added.

As yet, it is unclear whether other medical institutions besides Zhongshan Hospital will conduct human trials of the vaccine.

Editor: Futura Costaglione