Israel will begin its first clinical trials of a novel coronavirus vaccine next month, authorities said Sunday, as the country grapples with a second wave of infections.
Early in the pandemic, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tasked the Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR) with developing a vaccine against the virus.
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Research lab at Israel Institute for Biological Research
(Photo: Israel Institute for Biological Research )
COVID-19 has killed over 2,370 people in the Jewish state since the start of the outbreak there, and has infected more than 300,000, according to official figures.
On Sunday, authorities announced the first clinical trials of the "BriLife" vaccine would begin on November 1, as a spokesperson for the defense ministry said the "necessary approvals" had been granted.
The trials will be conducted over several months.
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Vaccine trials at Research lab at Israel Institute for Biological Research
(Photo: Research lab at Israel Institute for Biological Research )
"Our final goal is 15 million dozes for the residents of Israel and for our close neighbours," IIBR head Shmuel Shapira was quoted as saying in a statement.
Scientists around the world are racing to develop a vaccine against the pathogen, which has killed over 1.1 million people worldwide.
Several dozen vaccine candidates are currently being tested in clinical trials, ten of which are in the most advanced "Phase 3" stage involving tens of thousands of volunteers.