Dr. Volker Gerdts, director of VIDO-InterVac. (University of Saskatchewan)

By CKOM News

VIDO-Intervac wraps up animal phase of COVID-19 vaccine testing

May 22, 2020 | 1:34 PM

Saskatoon’s Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) – International Vaccine Centre (InterVac) at the University of Saskatchewan has reached a milestone in its effort to find a COVID-19 vaccine.

Director and CEO Dr. Volker Gerdts told 650 CKOM’s Brent Loucks that the animal testing phase of the vaccine research wrapped up on Thursday.

Before a vaccine is given to humans it has to be shown to work on animals first. Ferrets were given doses of VIDO’s potential vaccine in April to build immunity to the virus.

“More news coming out next week, but what I can tell you is our vaccine is looking great,” Gerdts said. “We are hoping as quickly as possible, after completion of our safety studies, to be in human trials. We are anticipating that will be in the fall.”

Once VIDO researchers are given the green light to begin human clinical trials, Gerdts said he doesn’t anticipate having any trouble finding test subjects.

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“We have lots of requests from people all over Canada, from British Columbia who have volunteered to be part of our vaccine studies.”

The first phase of the human trial will assess whether the vaccine is safe. The second phase will determine if it induces an immune response.

Gerdts said the VIDO centre will be one of several testing sites used across Canada.