ABU DHABI (Reuters) – A company in the United Arab Emirates is approaching the end of phase III clinical trials of a Chinese COVID-19 vaccine and expects to manufacture it next year, a representative said.
The test, which began in mid-July, is a partnership between Sinopharm’s China National Biotec Group (CNBG) and Abu Dhabi-based synthetic intelligence and cloud computing organization 42 (G42).
The vaccine uses an inactivated virus; a well-known generation that has been used against diseases such as influenza and measles. Two doses are given.
It has been administered to more than 31,000 people in the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Bahrain and Jordan, said Ashish Koshy, CEO of G42 Healthcare.
Research and publication of the effects will take a position in about two months, Koshy said.
He said G42 has distribution and production agreements with Sinopharm and hopes to deliver the vaccine to the UAE and other states in the region, especially those involved in the trial.
The purpose is to produce between 75 and 100 million doses next year in the UAE, he said.
“The first effects show that it is safe, there is a general accumulation of antibodies for all volunteers,” Koshy said. “In terms of efficiency, it’s on its way, but only time will tell in terms of the big picture. “
Emirati volunteer Wo’oud al-Motawaa emptied about two months ago and returned to the premises of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi for one of its follow-up checks.
“I paint in a hospital, so that’s all we need to help,” he said. “We accept as true with our country. “
The G42 said the diversity of the population of the United Arab Emirates is an advantage, providing around two hundred other nationalities. Koshy said some 125 nationalities have participated so far.
The United Arab Emirates, with a total of more than 101,000 infections and 435 deaths, has noticed the accumulation of new cases of coronavirus in the following two months, from 164 on 3 August to a maximum of 1231 cases last week.
The United Arab Emirates has a higher rate of COVID-19 testing consistent with the capita, having conducted more than 10 million tests in a population of approximately 9. 9 million, according to the government statistics authority.
(Reporting via Jacob Greaves; written via Lisa Barrington; edited via Alexandra Hudson)