Sinopharm's COVID-19 vaccine approved by Peru, Morocco for phase III trials

On August 19, Peru and Morocco approved Phase III clinical trials of Sinopharm's COVID-19 vaccine, world’s first inactivated vaccine manufactured by China National Biotec Group (CNBG), the company announced on the social media. The human clinical trials will include 6,000 volunteers to test the efficacy of potential vaccine and get regulatory approvals basis the results. China National Biotec Group (CNBG), a unit of state-owned pharmaceutical giant China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) has already recruited over 15,000 people across 107 nationalities in UAE and Abu Dhabi to get the phase III trials started. 

According to UAE’s state media’s press release, the Sinopharm's vaccine has been developed by G42 Healthcare in partnership with the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP), the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi, and Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA). Volunteers have been administered with two vaccine shots as the healthcare continues to monitor their safety and conducts health checks to ensure no side effects. Lunched on 16th July in Abu Dhabi, the #4Humanity trials has had full co-operation from the UAE’s multinational population “eager to help” the UAE leadership’s commitment to combat the COVID-19  via global collaborative effort.

"Securing this milestone is a testament to the commitment and partnership of the relevant authorities working together to conduct the largest possible number of medical tests and providing the necessary care for those infected, while simultaneously strengthening the UAE’s cooperation with international partners to develop a safe vaccine against the disease,” Minister of Health and Prevention, Abdul Rahman bin Mohammed Al Owais said. He added, "This is a very proud day for everyone associated with these trials and we are looking forward to continuing to play an integral role in the work to come in the months ahead.”Chairman of the Department of Health , Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Hamed, as the first volunteer to participate in the trials as he received 2 shots of the experimental vaccine.

We would like to thank our partners G42 Healthcare and the UAE’s health authorities for their hard work and professionalism and we look forward to continued success as the trials proceed in the weeks and months ahead—President of Sinopharm Group Biological Products, Jingjin Zhu said in the release. 

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Diversity of volunteers

UAE Principal Investigator, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City CMO and Chairperson of the National COVID-19 Clinical Management Committee Dr. Nawal Ahmed Alkaabi said in the press release, "This is a wonderful achievement and the importance to get involved in these clinical trials has captured the imagination of the nation and the 15,000 volunteers who have stepped up to participate.” Further he added, “Once again it goes to show the passion and commitment of everyone living and working here in the UAE to play their part for the good of humanity.”President of Sinopharm Group Biological Products, Jingjin Zhu, was quoted saying that the speed of these trials to date and the diversity of volunteers has fully reinforced company's decision that the UAE was a perfect location to test inactivated vaccine. Further he stressed, with nations joining in, the vaccine is ready to reach the widest demographic and ethnic range of volunteers.

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