Osaka Mayor Ichiro Matsui has said that a clinical trial of a vaccine for the novel coronavirus will begin at a hospital in the western Japan city on June 30.

The vaccine was developed by AnGes Inc., a biopharmaceutical startup related to Osaka University. The clinical trial will take place at Osaka City University Hospital, Matsui said Tuesday.

According to informed sources, the firm will carry out the trial with 30 applicants, including medical professionals, after completing animal testing on Monday.

Matsui stressed the importance of developing a vaccine in Japan.

He added that he was told by Osaka University professor Ryuichi Morishita, who founded AnGes, that the vaccine "will become available to the general public between spring and autumn next year."

In April this year, the city, the capital of Osaka Prefecture, and the prefectural government agreed with Osaka University and Osaka City University to cooperate in the development of a vaccine for the virus.

JIJI Press