SK Bioscience is to soon begin the Phase 3 clinical trial of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, the firm’s CEO Ahn Jae-yong told a local seminar held Wednesday. Ahn also added the company expects the vaccine to be out early next year.

SK Bioscience currently has two COVID-19 vaccine candidates, GBP510 and NBP2001, under development. The Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province-based firm is expected to choose one -- GBP510. The company last month applied for a regulatory permission to start the Phase 3 clinical trial of GBP510.

If the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety gives the go-ahead, SK Bioscience will carry out the trial with 4,000 adults from medical facilities located here and abroad.

If successful, the vaccine would be supplied to the COVAX Facility, a global vaccine equity scheme.

Ahn also noted that the company is conducting researches to develop prototype COVID-19 vaccines that could prevent coronavirus variants.