Saskatchewan’s vaccine hunters at the U of S Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization - International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-Intervac) is another step closer to human trials for its COVID-19 vaccine. 

The experimental vaccine has been successfully tested on ferrets, which have proven to be among the best candidate mammals for testing. A release from the U of S notes that the trial  exhibited strong immune response, generated antibodies, and proved effective in reducing viral infection and load. 

“We are working to ensure our COVID-19 vaccine advances as rapidly as possible,” said VIDO-InterVac Director Dr. Volker Gerdts. “Proving that the vaccine is effective in ferrets is a key milestone in the development pathway.”

The vaccine was developed based on research done on related viruses such as SARS and MERS. The success thus far is also based on previous formulations done jointly with Dalhousie University, the University of British Columbia, and the International Vaccine Institute located in South Korea

The next phase involves additional trial and safety studies with an eye to piloting human clinical trials in the fall of 2020. VIDO-Intervac is at the same time ramping up a manufacturing facility that will ultimately lead to wide scale production. The organization is also cooperating with other research facilities in the development of antivirals and therapeutics to treat COVID-19.

“We are excited by these results and are continuing to develop our vaccine towards regulatory approval,” said project leader Dr. Darryl Falzarano. 

VIDO-Intervac is a world leader in infectious disease research and was the first Canadian Lab to isolate the virus responsible for COVID-19. Its work is supported by federal and provincial levels of government and by the Canada Foundation for Innovation through their Major Science Initiatives Fund.