Uzbekistan starts clinical trials of second-generation vaccine against COVID-19

“We believe that cooperation between Uzbekistan and China on second-generation vaccines will be successfully completed and open up new opportunities for Uzbekistan and other countries. We have received permission from the Ethics Committee to start trials of the second generation vaccine in Uzbekistan, and today we are launching research and clinical trials together with you,” the Minister of Innovative Development Ibrokhim Abdurakhmonov said.

According to the academician Gao Fu, the first generation of the new ZF-UZ-VAC-2001 coronavirus vaccine has been successfully developed through bilateral efforts between China and Uzbekistan, and more than 300 million doses have been used worldwide.

“The second generation of the new coronavirus vaccine is the Omicron-Delta bivalent protein subunit vaccine. Compared to the first-generation vaccine based on a prototype virus, the new vaccine elicits a broader and stronger immune response, covers the currently widespread sub-variants of Omicron, and makes an important contribution to the fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic,” the scientist said.

It is noted that the antigens of the second-generation protein vaccine are designed for strains of the new coronavirus with the Delta and Omicron mutations, which are expected to provide better protection than strains with the Omicron mutation.