A clinical trial conducted in Japan on Moderna Inc.'s vaccine for COVID-19 found that all participants who received two doses of the vaccine showed an increase in antibodies to fight the novel coronavirus, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. announced Monday.
Takeda Pharmaceutical imports the vaccine made by the U.S. biotechnology company and sells it in Japan.
There were no reports of serious side effects, Takeda Pharmaceutical said. The data was submitted to the organization entrusted by the government to examine the vaccine on the same day.
The clinical trial, which began in January, involved inoculating 200 healthy adult men and women in Japan with either the vaccine or a placebo to check the vaccine's effectiveness and safety.
In clinical trials with about 30,000 participants overseas, the effectiveness of the vaccine in preventing the onset of symptoms was 94%. If the safety of the vaccine is confirmed in the organization's examination, the government will give special approval to the vaccine as early as May 21, with plans to use it at large-scale vaccination sites to be opened in Tokyo and Osaka from May 24.
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