Taiwan's Medigen to start late-stage clinical trial for COVID-19 vaccine in Paraguay

TAIPEI: Taiwan's Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp said on Tuesday it will start a late-stage clinical trial this year in Paraguay for its COVID-19 vaccine, part of the island's push to make its own shots against the coronavirus.

Taiwan's government on Monday approved the emergency use and production of Medigen's vaccine despite criticism from opposition parties the vaccine has yet to finish final clinical trials and with no efficacy data available. Health authorities in Paraguay have allowed Medigen to run the Phase III trial involving 1,000 volunteers for the shot, MVC-COV1901, the Taiwan-based company said in a filing to the stock exchange.