Kumamoto Prefecture's vaccine maker, KM Biologics, announced that it will begin clinical trials of a new coronavirus vaccine under development this month that can be given to children under the age of five.
This was announced by KM Biologics and others at a press conference on the 20th.
The company is developing a new type of corona vaccine called an inactivated vaccine, which is used in influenza vaccines, and is conducting clinical trials for people aged 18 and over.
For this vaccine, the company has announced plans for a new clinical trial for patients aged 6 months to under 18 years of age.
The target is 600 people in this age group, and it is planned to start by the end of this month, so in addition to the efficacy and safety, we will check the appropriate number of inoculations.
On top of that, the company is aiming to apply for approval to the national government as a vaccine that can be inoculated to children over 6 months old from autumn to the end of the year.
Currently, the new corona vaccine used in Japan is targeted for inoculation over 5 years old.
On the other hand, for clinical trials over the age of 18, at least for those under the age of 40, there are intermediate-stage data showing that antibody levels are sufficiently elevated, which means that we will move on to the final clinical trial soon. ..
At the press conference, Toshiaki Nagasato, president of KM Biologics, said, "There is no vaccine that can be given to children over 6 months and under 5 years old, so I would like to bring it to the world as soon as possible."