Cellid and the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) in South Korea have exchanged a collaborative research agreement to analyze the immunogenicity of the COVID-19 vaccine “AdCLD-CoV19”.

Cellid and IVI announced on January 4 that they have signed a research service contract to cooperate in the clinical development of the “AdCLD-CoV19”, a COVID-19 vaccine being developed by Cellid.

Under this contract, IVI will analyze samples from Phase 1/2a clinical trials of Cellid’s COVID-19 vaccine “AdCLD-CoV19” to determine whether the AdCLD-CoV19 induced the right protective, or immune, responses.

As a bio-venture, Cellid is developing the COVID-19 vaccine “AdCLD-CoV19” based on an adenovirus vector. The company received approval for a Phase 1/2a clinical trial plan (IND) from the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on December 4 last year. Following the approval, Cellid signed a contract with Korea University Guro Hospital, and is currently conducting clinical trials with the hospital.

In a challenge trial in a monkey infection model with Cellid’s adenovirus vector-based COVID-19 vaccine, coronavirus was not detected at all in the upper respiratory and lung tissue two and three days after a single dose, which demonstrates the vaccine’s excellent protective efficacy against the virus.

“Through cooperation in clinical development with IVI, which has extensive experience in collaboration with both domestic and international institutions in clinical trials and related activities, we redouble our efforts to confirm the safety and immunogenicity of AdCLD-CoV19 and to help ensure vaccine sovereignty based on reliable results,” said Kang Chang-yul, CEO of Cellid. “In collaboration with IVI and other partners, we will expedite clinical trials with the aim of commercializing a COVID-19 vaccine as early as this summer.”

IVI Director General Dr. Jerome Kim said, “IVI is pleased to partner with Cellid, a biotech specializing in development of cell-based immunotherapeutic vaccines. We will make the most of our experience and expertise in laboratory analysis and clinical evaluation of vaccines to support and accelerate the development of their COVID-19 vaccine.”