Health Canada has approved Moderna company’s COVID-19 vaccine for use in the country, with 168,000 doses expected to arrive by the end of the year, CBC News reported.

The regulator announced the approval on Wednesday after completing a review of the Massachusetts-based biotechnology company's clinical trial data.

"The data provided supports favourably the efficacy of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine as well as its safety," Health Canada said in a notice authorizing use of the vaccine for people over the age of 18. "There were no important safety issues identified and no life-threatening adverse events (AEs) or deaths related to the vaccine."

The authorization of a second COVID-19 vaccine comes as cases surge across the country.

Health Canada previously authorized the vaccine made by US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and German biotechnology firm BioNTech on December 9, and it is already being administered in parts of the country to people in high-priority groups.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau praised the approval.

Canada has secured contracts with Pfizer-BioNTech for access to 20 million doses and with Moderna for 40 million doses by the end of 2021.

To note, American Armenian businessman Noubar Afeyan is the co-founder and chairman of Moderna Inc.