(Canadian Press)

By Canadian Press

Calgary maker of promising mRNA vaccine looks to test it against Pfizer

May 13, 2021 | 1:28 PM

OTTAWA – A homegrown mRNA vaccine for COVID-19 shows promising results in its first small trial and its maker is hoping to test it directly against the vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech.

Calgary-based Providence Therapeutics says its vaccine produced no serious adverse events and developed good antibodies against COVID-19 that “compare favourably” with the two mRNA vaccines already on the market from Pfizer and Moderna.

“We’re extremely pleased,” said Providence CEO Brad Sorenson.

The Phase 1 trial included 60 healthy adults between 18 and 64, with more than half of them receiving two doses of the vaccine, four weeks apart. The results have not yet been peer-reviewed.

Sorenson said the next step is supposed to be a Phase 2 head-to-head trial that would test the effectiveness of Providence against Pfizer.

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Most vaccines in Phase 2 have been tested only against a placebo, but Sorenson said in a pandemic, he feels it is unethical to give someone a placebo when they could otherwise be vaccinated.

To do the trial, Providence needs 500 doses of Pfizer, which he said neither the company nor the National Research Council has been willing to provide.

(The Canadian Press)

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