A total of 74 volunteers were given the Vietnamese COVID-19 vaccine, Nano Covax, in phase II of human trials on Friday. Nanocovax is Vietnam’s first COVID-19 vaccine reaching the human trial stage, developed by Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC and the Military Medical University (MMU) in Hà Nội. According to a representative from MMU, the phase 2 was held concurrently at two places, 35 were given the jabs at the MMU and Pasteur Institute in HCM City will administer the shots to 39 volunteers in the southern province of Long An. The Phase 2 trial is expected to see the participation of up to 560 volunteers aged 18-60. Some of them have underlying health conditions such as hypertension and diabetes but are not too severe. The trial of the vaccine at the two places, compared to the first phase where the vaccine is being administered in Hanoionly, could speed up the progress by shortening the study time to three months instead of six months while ensuring scientific data is accurate, the representative said. The first 35 volunteers in Hanoiwere chosen among about 300 people who registered to participate in the second-stage trial of the vaccine at the MMU after undergoing rigorous medical examinations. They are divided into four random groups to receive three doses of 25mcg, 50mcg and 75mcg of the vaccine or a placebo. “Because the trial sees the participation of volunteers with underlying health conditions, we have been prepared for all scenarios and ensured safety for all volunteers,” said Lieutenant-General Do Quyet, Director of the Military Medical University. He said the results of the trial would be announced in May before the third stage trial during which only one single shot of the vaccine is to be injected for 10,000-15,000 people from domestic and foreign pandemic-hit areas. Test results of the first phase of the COVID-19 vaccine showed that it is safe and has no serious complications and might be effective against B117, the new …
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Banks scaling up charter capital goals
Domestic and foreign lenders have been ramping up their charter capital to compete in the country. Photo: Le Toan The Vietnamese banking system was supplemented with more than VND33 trillion ($1.43 billion) of charter capital in 2020. By the end of last year, 18 Vietnamese banks recorded charter capital of over VND10 trillion ($434.8 million). Earlier this month, digitally-led local lender TPBank was approved by the State Bank of Vietnam to increase its charter capital to more than VND10.71 trillion ($466 million), and is now eligible to open four more branches and two transaction offices nationwide in 2021. Meanwhile, HDBank, the banking arm of Sovico Group, was among the most active lenders in capital hikes in 2020, increasing its funds by more than VND6.2 trillion ($270 million) to VND16.1 trillion ($700 million). The bank issued nearly 290 million shares for the first dividend and bonus out of a total of 627.8 million shares approved by its shareholders to increase its capital in 2020. The bank also issued convertible bonds to a foreign strategic partner, further increasing its capital adequacy ratio, in accordance with Basel II regulations. SHB also increased its charter capital by more than VND5.5 trillion ($239 million) in the past year thanks to the successful offering of 300 million shares to existing shareholders and the issuance of more than 250 million shares to pay dividends in the 2017-2018 period. ACB participated in the resources expansion plan by increasing to VND21.61 trillion ($940 million) through issuing shares to pay dividend at a rate of 30 per cent. A string of other lenders also sharply raised more funds in 2020, including MB, newly-listed OCB, and SeABank. Chartered capital rankings have changed significantly over the past year. The top 10 largest banks by charter capital at the end of 2020 were BIDV, VietinBank, Vietcombank, Techcombank, Agribank, MB, VPBank, ACB, Sacombank, and SHB. Compared to the end of 2019, SHB …
Inside a Vietnamese-managed luxury boutique resort on Phu Quoc Island
The majority of Vietnamese-owned upscale hotels are managed by the international chains who offer them great marketing potential and operational solutions. So how does this unique luxury boutique hotel on Phu Quoc Island run by a Vietnamese family manage to raise the bar of hospitality not only on a national level, but also on a global scale? ‘Designed by us, Vietnamese’ From the very inception, Salinda Resort was conceptualized to showcase the power of Vietnamese potential that is often overlooked by the attractiveness of foreign expertise in hotel management. To make a solid foundation for this cause, the owners selected both the architecture and interior design teams from Vietnam who were able to create a resort that combines contemporary comforts with local touches yet respects the natural surroundings of Phu Quoc. Tropical landscapes cover over 75 percent of Salinda Resort on Phu Quoc Island. Le Thanh Hai from HAIA Architects & Associates was fascinated with the combination of Scandinavian functionality and Japanese rustic minimalism, also referred to as ‘Japandi’ design. This fusion creates the perfect blend of function and form, focusing on clean lines and light colors to create a feeling of art and simplicity. As the design philosophy focuses on the importance of nature, the architect incorporated natural materials throughout the resort, such as the most sustainable wood in the world – Accoya; tropical landscapes covering over 75 percent of the land; and thermoregulating stone walls covered with ivies that ‘cool down’ the air. Yet to give a homey feeling to this serene concept, Aline Ho from Asiatique Design added a local touch to the interior design honoring Phu Quoc landscapes and culture with carefully chosen ceramic ornaments, local fisherman crafts, shell textures, and exotic patterns. But one of the most outstanding design features of the resort is the elaborate decorative murals offering a space of narrative to …
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