Michigan Medicine is in Phase 3 of two different vaccines it is researching to combat COVID-19. WEMU’s Lisa Barry talks with University of Michigan professor of infectious diseases Dr. Dan Kaul about their vaccine research so far and the call for volunteers to do further testing.
Michigan Medicine researchers say the data collected in Phase One and Two of the two vaccines they are currently involved in to deal with COVID-19 look promising, and they are hopeful as they enter the third and final phase of their research.
University of Michigan professor of infectious diseases Dr. Dan Kaul says he’s encouraged by the data they have collected so far.
Dr. Kaul says they could see a phased rollout of the vaccine by the end of the year.
Michigan Medicine, meanwhile, is looking for volunteers to take part in two vaccine trials.
COVID-19 Vaccine Clinical Trials Recruiting Now
Michigan Medicine is partnering with Janssen, a division of Johnson & Johnson, for a double-blind phase III clinical trial to test a vaccine against COVID-19. The trial, known as the ENSEMBLE study, will evaluate an investigational vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).
Recruitment for the Janssen trial will begin immediately. U-M is one of several U.S. and international sites supporting the trial, which seeks to enroll a diverse group of up to 60,000 volunteers worldwide. It is the latest trial to launch as part of Operation Warp Speed, a public/private partnership under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
“Michigan Medicine is committed to supporting the continued study of the investigational Janssen vaccine and other vaccine candidates. These trials are crucial to moving us toward an effective vaccine,” says Marschall Runge, M.D., Ph.D., Dean, U-M Medical School, Executive Vice President, Medical Affairs and CEO, Michigan Medicine.
The Janssen study joins the AstraZeneca trial as the second COVID-19 vaccine trial recruiting at U-M. Interested participants meeting eligibility criteria can be considered for either trial when enrollment is open.
For more information about the study, visit https://www.uofmhealth.org/covid19-vaccine, or email JanssenVaccineStudy@med.umich.edu.
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— Lisa Barry is the host of All Things Considered on WEMU. You can contact Lisa at 734.487.3363, on Twitter @LisaWEMU, or email her at lbarryma@emich.edu
