Clinical trials of combined vaccine against flu, COVID-19 may begin in 2022

MOSCOW. KAZINFORM The Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Russian Healthcare Ministry plans to begin clinical trials of a combined vaccine against the coronavirus and flu in the middle of 2022, Center’s Director Alexander Gintsburg told TASS on Thursday.

«[Clinical trials] are in the work schedule. We are doing this, we created a technology which allows to hope that it will be possible to create such a vaccine. <...> We are planning to begin clinical trials by the middle, the second half of next year. If before this we conduct everything on animals and will see that it is promising,» he said, TASS reports.

The scientist added that a prototype of the combined vaccine will be developed during 2021. Pre-clinical trials and Phases One and Two of clinical trials are scheduled for next year. According to him, the vaccine will include components of various flu viruses and the coronavirus protein in its pseudoviral part.

The scientist talked about the Center’s plans to develop such a vaccine in September. Then he explained that it will help in protecting against infections commonly transmitted during the same period.