Clinical trials of the first Spanish coronavirus vaccine can now give their starting gun, after the green light granted by the Spanish Medicines Agency (AEMPS). Although the one developed by the CSIC, together with the pharmaceutical company Biofabri, it was the one that seemed to have more ballots to begin human trials, the stand by in which it entered last week awaiting authorization has left it behind that of the private company Hipra.
This means that, after the good results of the preclinical phase, the vaccine can now be tested in humans, once they finish recruit volunteers.
Logically, there is still a long way to go for it to be marketed if all goes well. But it is an important step that, until now, had not taken any of the other Spanish candidates.
As explained by the EMA, the Spanish coronavirus vaccine developed by Hipra is based on two recombinant proteinsstructurally similar, one corresponding to the alpha variant and one beta variant, which come together to form a single structure.
Vaccines based on synthetic proteins equivalent to those of the pathogen to be prevented have become very frequent in recent years. There are even some coronavirus vaccines of this type already. However, this one is really interesting, to include proteins from two variants.
This is something very important, given the large number of them that are appearing. For that, and for the good previous resultsIt has finally been this Spanish coronavirus vaccine that has taken the next step. But what about the CSIC?
Still waiting
Last week there was talk that the Spanish coronavirus vaccine developed by the CSIC and Biofabri he had stopped his clinical trials because of the death of one of the monkeys he had been testing with.
However, it soon emerged that this was a hoax. Simply, the preclinical phase It has been completed and, in order to begin human trials, authorization from the Spanish Medicines Agency is required.
That continues to be the situation, as for now nothing more has been known. They had already begun to look for volunteers who are not vaccinated and have not passed the virus, but they will have to wait until they have the resolution of the AEMPS. If she finally manages to continue and reaches the end of clinical trials, she could become one of the first nasal vaccinations to be marketed. This would be very useful, since the virus is attacked from its front door. But for now the reality is that we will have to continue with the injections. And that in Spain, at the moment, only Hipra keep walking towards that long-awaited final round.