Medicago Inc., a Canadian subsidiary of Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corp., is seeking approval in Canada for the first plant-based Covid-19 vaccine, according to a February 19 article by The Mainichi. The vaccine is made by using the virus-like particles created from crops grown in greenhouses. 

The final phase of clinical trials was carried out in six countries, including Japan, with the results showing a 71 per cent efficacy. Medicago has plans to file an application for approval with Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, with hopes of using the vaccine within the 2022 fiscal year.