Medicago and GSK launch Phase III trial of adjuvanted COVID-19 vaccine candidate

Canadian biopharma company and UK pharma major GlaxoSmithKline (LSE: GSK) have started Phase III clinical testing of Medicago’s plant-derived COVID-19 vaccine candidate in combination with GSK’s pandemic adjuvant, as part of the ongoing Phase II/III study.

Medicago received approval from Canadian and US regulatory authorities to proceed with enrollment of healthy adults in the Phase III portion of the trial based on positive interim Phase II results. In parallel, Medicago has also initiated a feasibility study of a vaccine candidate to address the emerging COVID-19 variants.

Under a deal between the companies announced last July, the candidate vaccine combines Medicago's recombinant coronavirus virus-like particles (CoVLP) with GSK's pandemic adjuvant system.