COVID-19: UFMG is looking for volunteers for one 100% Brazilian vaccine – Gerais

The Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) opened registration on Thursday (11/17) for volunteers in phases 1 and 2 of the clinical trials of SpiN-Tec – the first Brazilian 100% vaccine against COVID-19. Testing in humans received approval from the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) on October 3.

The first phase of the tests will bring together 72 volunteers between the ages of 18 and 85. People who register must be healthy, have not had COVID-19, and have received their first two doses of CoronaVac and one booster from Pfizer at least nine months ago.

Within the same age group, the second phase of clinical evaluations will include 360 ​​people. They must have received two doses of the CoronaVac or AstraZeneca vaccine and one or two booster vaccines from Pfizer or AstraZeneca. The fact that you have already contracted COVID-19 does not preclude a person from qualifying for the second stage of testing.

Professor Hilton Santiago, who is coordinating clinical trials for the vaccine, says that if the person enrolled is eligible for the study, they will receive the SpiN-TEC immunomodulator. “The candidate shows up for vaccination on the appointed day, goes through the procedures and is observed for up to an hour. After that, you are free to go home. We will monitor her for 12 months,” he explains.

In this sense, the team that performs the clinical tests will periodically call the volunteers to see how they feel. In addition, subjects will have seven scheduled visits to the Vaccine Clinical Research Unit (UPqVac) — where the dose will be administered — one week after application, and then, two weeks later, 28 days, 90 days, 180 days, and 270 days. days and 360 days.

“The expectation, now, is that the vaccine has been confirmed as safe and immunogenic, a fact that has been observed in other phases. We hope that this will trigger an immune response in the participants, just as it did in animal tests,” explains the professor at the Institute of Biological Sciences, Highlighting the speed and efficiency of the immune system production process.

“On average, it takes 20 to 30 years to develop a vaccine. The pandemic has shortened that process. The development of SpiN-TEC has been very rapid, with studies starting in November 2020,” recalls Helton Santiago. “A significant milestone,” he concluded. in Brazilian sciences.