ST. LOUIS — Saint. Louis University researchers have started to enroll participants in a clinical trial for one of the leading coronavirus vaccine candidates developed by scientists at Moderna and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease Vaccine Research Center (NIAID).
SLU will be part of a larger Moderna trial that will enroll 30,000 participants across the country, according to a news release from the university.
“A safe and effective vaccine that will protect against COVID-19 is our best hope for ending the current pandemic,” said Sharon Frey, M.D., clinical director of SLU’s Center for Vaccine Development and principal investigator of the Moderna trial at SLU. “This is why it is vital that we conduct careful scientific studies to learn if vaccines like this one can prevent illness and stop future outbreaks especially in our most vulnerable and at-risk populations."
Under this trial, researchers will evaluate the vaccine in adults 18 years and older who have no known history of infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Those in the study will be randomly assigned to receive the Moderna/NIAID vaccine or a placebo, the release said. They will be given in two injections, 28 days apart. Participants cannot contract COVID-19 from the vaccine and will not be deliberately exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Participants will have to provide nasal and blood samples and may have up to seven scheduled clinic visits over the course of two years as researchers monitor their immune response. Participants will be compensated for their time.
Those interested in participating in the vaccine trial can visit vaccine.slu.edu to complete the questionnaire or call 314-977-6333 or 1-866-410-6333.
