North Korea, which has yet to report a single case of Covid-19, is currently conducting clinical trials for a novel coronavirus vaccine, the South’s Yonhap News Agency reported, citing the North’s State Commission of Science and Technology’s online portal Mirae.

With Pyongyang asserting the safety and immunogenicity of the candidate vaccine following animal tests, scientists are deliberating beginning the clinical study’s third phase.

Development of the vaccine is led by a medical biology institute run by the Academy of Medical Science which purportedly uses angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Pyongyang claims that trials started this month.

North Korea added that the State Academy of Sciences’ bioengineering branch has also undertaken research and vaccine development, Yonhap reported.