Scientists in South Africa have made a copy of the Moderna Covid vaccine, a move which they say could help boost vaccination rates across Africa, the BBC reports.
The continent currently has the lowest uptake of Covid shots in the world.
The company behind the new vaccine – Afrigen Biologics – says it hopes to start clinical trials in November.
Moderna previously said it would not enforce the patents on its vaccine, allowing scientists in Cape Town to make their own version of it.
The researchers were backed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The shot being copied is a messenger RNA vaccine made by US firm Moderna. Pfizer-BioNTech also made its vaccine using the same technology. They were some of the first Covid vaccines to be authorized for use around the world.
