Phase 3 trials for COVID-19 vaccine start in Pakistan

By Masood Sattar Khan

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), on September 22, has announced the launch of phase 3 clinical trials in Pakistan for a potential vaccine being developed by China’s CanSino Biologics for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). 

The trials for the first couple of phases for the vaccine were held in China. Pakistan, under a public-private partnership between the National Institute of Health (NIH) and CanSino, is among the countries which will carry out Phase 3, the NCOC declared. 

The NIH Executive Director, Maj Gen Aamer Ikram, and the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health, Dr Faisal Sultan, during their joint press conference, described the trial as an important step in which the Pakistanis will also be taking part.

“The entire world is looking towards a vaccine right now. There are seven vaccines for which trials are being conducted, three of them developed in China. This CanSino vaccine is based on recombinant technology in which an adino-vector is made deficient. The virus vector and cell culture has been procured from Canada," Maj Gen Aamer Ikram remarked. 

Meanwhile the Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Minister, Asad Umar, also shared information on the subject. “Just launched the phase 3 trials for COVID-19 vaccine in Pakistan. Vaccine has been developed by a Chinese company. A total of 40,000 people will participate in this trial in seven countries, of which 8 to 10,000 will be Pakistanis. Initial results expected in 4 to 6 months,” he tweeted.