BRASILIA (Reuters) – Testing of the Russian vaccine “Sputnik-V” COVID-19 began in Brazil, while its British and Chinese rivals have already begun to have partial effects from Phase III clinical trials, Brazilian fitness regulator Anvisa said Tuesday.
The Brazilian states of Paraná and Bahia, which have agreements for the verification and production or distribution of the Russian vaccine, have still submitted programs for clinical trials in Brazil, an Anvisa spokeswoman said.
“There have been many meetings, physical and online, with no documents on the Russian vaccine yet,” he told Reuters.
The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which markets Sputnik, billed through Russia as the world’s first registered vaccine, did not respond to a request for comment.
Meanwhile, vaccine trials were conducted through the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca Plc, and prospective vaccines through Chinese company Sinovac Biotech Ltd are underway at a dozen sites and initial knowledge is being sent to Anvisa.
“This is not yet a formal application for the registration of those vaccines. We will only do so once all the documents have been submitted,” the spokeswoman told Reuters.
To expedite the process, Anvisa introduced last week an uninterrupted file procedure of documents and first effects so that they can be studied simultaneously.
With the deadliest coronavirus outbreak at the time after the United States, Brazil has a key testing floor for developing vaccines.
Anvisa has legal trials in Brazil for 4 vaccines, adding those that are being developed through Pfizer Inc in partnership with BioNTech and Johnson’s pharmaceutical subsidiary.
Brazil recorded nearly five million cases of coronavirus and the death toll reached 14667 five on Monday, the fitness ministry said.
(Report via Anthony Boadle; Edited through Lisa Shumaker)