TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Human trials for Taiwan’s homegrown COVID vaccine developed by Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp. (MVC) will be conducted in Colombia, sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The food and drug regulator of Colombia said on Monday (Sept. 13) that Medigen and U.S.-based Inovio Pharmaceuticals have been granted permission to run clinical trials for their COVID vaccines in the country.

The trials are backed by the WHO, which selects vaccine candidates on a random basis. Colombia was chosen from a list of 20 countries, making it one of the six Latin American nations to have participated in trials for a COVID vaccine, along with Argentina, Brazil, Chile, El Salvador, and Mexico.

The 15-month trials for both candidates will involve 40,000 volunteers aged 16 and above who belong to high-risk groups. They will include those dwelling in high-risk areas, medical and frontline workers, and unvaccinated employees who play a role in keeping society running, according to CNA.

Medigen is the first of the three Taiwanese COVID vaccine manufacturers to be rolled out and has seen over 710,000 doses administered nationwide. United Biomedical Inc. (UBI) failed to secure emergency use authorization, while Adimmune on Monday announced trial plans in Indonesia.