MILAN—Italy’s hopes of producing its own COVID-19 vaccine were given a boost on Monday when local biotech firm ReiThera said its vaccine candidate showed a strong immune response and no major side effects in intermediate Phase II clinical trials.
The vaccine, called GRAd-COV2, induced an antibody response against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in over 93 percent of volunteers three weeks after the first dose, reaching 99 percent after the second dose, the company said in a statement.
