MEXICO CITY, July 21 (Reuters) - Mexican authorities said on Wednesday they are in talks with Italian health authorities and Italian biotech firm ReiThera about the possibility of producing the GRAd-COV2 COVID-19 vaccine in Mexico.

Deputy Foreign Minister Martha Delgado traveled to Italy to speak with Francesco Vaia, director of the Lazzaro Spallanzani National Institute of Infectious Diseases, and ReiThera executives to discuss the option of producing the vaccine in Mexico, the Mexican Foreign Ministry said.

The ministry reiterated Mexico's plan to participate in GRAd-COV2's Phase III trials, which will require 6,000 volunteers in the country, but did not specify a timeline.

Italy's hopes of producing its own COVID-19 vaccine were given a boost earlier this month when ReiThera said its vaccine candidate showed a strong immune response and no major side effects in intermediate Phase II clinical trials. (Reporting by Abraham Gonzalez; Writing by Anthony Esposito; Editing by Leslie Adler)