China will supply coronavirus vaccines to Pakistan as part of an agreement for trials of the vaccine to be conducted in the South Asian nation, reported Wall Street Journal quoting government officials.
According to WSJ, "About one-fifth of the country’s population could be covered by the allocation." It said negotiations are 'underway with a second Chinese company to trial its vaccine in Pakistan'
State-owned China National Pharmaceutical Group, also known as Sinopharm, has tied up with Karachi University’s International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences for the trials, it reported. “Pakistan would get the vaccine on a priority basis,” an official involved in forging the agreement told WSJ.
The report said that Pakistan would conduct Phase 1 trials of the vaccine and then move rapidly to the final-stage Phase 3 trial, which requires tens of thousands of volunteers. "If the vaccine is safe and effective, Pakistan would receive enough vaccine to cover around a fifth of its population in the initial months of production," it claimed.
China has three indigenous coronavirus vaccines being developed in final Phase 3 trials. They all use traditional inactive virus technology. Chinese companies are also conducting final trials elsewhere, including in the UAE and Brazil.
While Pakistan’s coronavirus figures have declined, officials say there are hot spots where the vaccine could be tested. They fear a second wave could arrive in coming months, as economic activity increases and restrictions on movement are lifted.
According to WSJ, "About one-fifth of the country’s population could be covered by the allocation." It said negotiations are 'underway with a second Chinese company to trial its vaccine in Pakistan'
State-owned China National Pharmaceutical Group, also known as Sinopharm, has tied up with Karachi University’s International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences for the trials, it reported. “Pakistan would get the vaccine on a priority basis,” an official involved in forging the agreement told WSJ.
The report said that Pakistan would conduct Phase 1 trials of the vaccine and then move rapidly to the final-stage Phase 3 trial, which requires tens of thousands of volunteers. "If the vaccine is safe and effective, Pakistan would receive enough vaccine to cover around a fifth of its population in the initial months of production," it claimed.
China has three indigenous coronavirus vaccines being developed in final Phase 3 trials. They all use traditional inactive virus technology. Chinese companies are also conducting final trials elsewhere, including in the UAE and Brazil.
While Pakistan’s coronavirus figures have declined, officials say there are hot spots where the vaccine could be tested. They fear a second wave could arrive in coming months, as economic activity increases and restrictions on movement are lifted.