After the favorable development on the first days of the stage of clinical trials with Soberana 01, Cuba announces the work on a new COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

During the weekly meeting held by the President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, with the scientists and experts directly involved in the COVID-19 battle, the director of the Finlay Vaccine Institute, Vicente Vérez Bencomo, reported that progress is being made in a second candidate.

We are finishing the formulation this week. It is a different vaccine, it has the same Soberana antigen, but it is another platform: the conjugate vaccines that we have, he said.

It is giving very interesting responses in animals as well, said the researcher, very close to those of the first vaccine, we are going to move it rapidly to try to start clinical trials in October, he added.

Vérez Bencomo, project leader, also recalled that the Soberana 01 study began on August 24 and should continue next week with another 20 volunteers over 60 years old.

Díaz Canel acknowledged the intense scientific activity encouraged by seeking an effective, safe and sovereign battle against Covid-19, which is generating a scientific dynamic.

The results of a clinical trial with the use of rectal ozone therapy in patients confirmed with SARS-CoV-2, and the use of Heberferon in the therapeutic scheme of patients with the virus, were other topics discussed during the meeting.