Today (thurs), Health Canada authorized Medicago’s Covifenz COVID-19 vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 in adults 18 to 64 years of age.

This is the first authorized COVID-19 vaccine developed by a Canadian-based company, and the first that uses a plant-based protein technology. Medicago’s Covifenz is authorized as a two-dose regimen to be administered 21 days apart.

In clinical trials, the vaccine was found to be 71 per cent effective against symptomatic infection and 100 per cent effective against severe disease caused by COVID-19. These studies were conducted while there were multiple variants in circulation.

Health Canada says it has determined the meets its department’s stringent safety, efficacy and quality requirements, and that the benefits of this vaccine outweigh the potential risks.