A Review of the Animal and Human Trials of the Ad5-nCoV Vaccine Candidate

Abstract

Since the COVID-19 outbreak began, there has been an urgent need for a safe and effective vaccine to end this global pandemic. One such vaccine is the Ad5-nCoV, developed by CanSino Biologics Inc. This review aims to examine all animal and human trials conducted for this vaccine candidate. Search terms such as “Ad5-nCoV”, “recombinant adenovirus”, “COVID-19”, and “vaccine”, were used in varying combinations in the PubMed database to find published trial reports. It was concluded that Ad5-nCoV can induce a strong immune response in mice and ferret models and offer them protection against the inoculation of SARS-CoV-2. It also has a strong safety profile in human and can induce an adequate immune response in terms of RBD-specific antibodies and T cell responses, while neutralizing antibody response and seroconversion was mediocre. The publish trial reports support the further testing of this vaccine candidate and it is preparing to enter phase 3 clinical trials.