Human testing for a Covid-19 vaccine in Singapore will begin next week.

The vaccine, Lunar-Cov19, is developed by Duke-NUS Medical School and U.S. pharmeceutical company Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings.

According to Straits Times, early-stage clinical trial for a Covid-19 vaccine has started. The first vaccinations are expected to be given to volunteers next week.

Around 100 people will take part in the trial, comprising persons in their 20s to 50s.

The trial will be administered by the SingHealth Investigational Medicine Unit.

Trial process

Deputy clinical and scientific director at the SingHealth unit Jenny Low told ST that a vaccine only moves into this the early-stage phases when there have been promising pre-clinical results.

The early-stage trials is also known as a phase I/II trial.

Phase I involves a small number of subjects, usually fewer than 100. Phase II involves a higher number of subjects, often in the hundreds.

For this trial, both phases are combined.

The purpose of the trial is to assess the vaccine's safety (such as if there are severe side effects), determine the appropriate dosage, and the body's immune response.

About the vaccine

This vaccine is among the 26 vaccine candidates worldwide that either have been tested on humans or have received approval to do so.

It was previously reported that Singapore will get first claim on a Covid-19 vaccine developed by U.S. pharmeceutical company Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings.

How do vaccines work?

Vaccines are made up of a weakened version of the virus responsible for the disease.

When a vaccine is given, the body's immune system produces antibodies against the vaccine material, which remain in the body and are ready to respond if an actual infectious organism attacks.

Top image by National Cancer Institute via Unsplash.