PARIS: French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi on Thursday said it would start human trials of the potential coronavirus vaccine it is developing with British peer GSK, following promising preliminary tests.

The launch of phase 1 and 2 trials represent an "important stage and another step towards the development of a potential vaccine to help us beat Covid-19," said Sanofi Pasteur executive vice-president Thomas Triomphe.

The vaccine combines leading technology from both Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline. A protein-based vaccine owned by Sanofi and used to treat influenza was paired with a GSK-developed add-on, known as an adjuvant, that boosts the recipient's immune response.