Sanofi announces this Monday February 22 to launch a new clinical trial called "
phase 2
" for its main candidate vaccine against Covid-19 developed with the British GSK, after the disappointment of the first version in the fall, hoping to put it to available in the fourth quarter, the French laboratory announced on Monday.
Also read: Why Sanofi lags behind in vaccine research
"
This new phase II study will assess the potential of a refined formulation of antigens to achieve an optimal immune response, particularly in older adults
," said the group in a statement.
The previous phase I / II study, for this vaccine, initially scheduled for summer 2021, concluded in December that it was insufficiently effective in people over 50 years old.
This vaccine is recombinant protein with adjuvant, a more traditional technology than the messenger RNA vaccines manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna.
Sanofi to help Johnson & Johnson manufacture vaccine in France
In addition, the French pharmaceutical group announces that it will produce in France the vaccine against the Covid-19 of its American competitor Johnson & Johnson in the second half of the year, as it is also preparing to do for the one developed by Pfizer-BioNTech.
Sanofi will take care of the formulation and filling of the bottles at its Marcy-l'Etoile site, near Lyon, "
from the third quarter
", "
at a rate of around 12 million doses per month
", states the laboratory in its press release, specifying keeping
the development of its two candidate vaccines as
"
priority
".