BRASILIA: A Chinese-made vaccine against the coronavirus entered the final stage of testing in Brazil, where volunteers received the first doses of could be a game-changer in the global pandemic.
The vaccine, developed by private Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac Biotech, became the third in the world to enter Phase 3 clinical trials, or large-scale testing on humans – the last step before regulatory approval.
Around 9,000 health workers across six Brazilian states will receive the vaccine, known as CoronaVac, in two doses over the next three months under the study. Sao Paulo Governor Joao Doria said initial results were expected within 90 days.
Sinovac is partnering with a Brazilian public health research center, the Butantan Institute, on the trials. If the vaccine proves safe and effective, the institute will have the right to produce 120 million doses under the deal.
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Brazil is the second-hardest-hit country in the coronavirus pandemic, after the United States. Its death toll surpassed 80,000 on Monday, and it has registered 2.1 million cases.
The South American country is seen as an ideal testing ground for vaccine candidates as the virus is still spreading quickly in the country.
Brazil is also carrying out Phase 3 testing of another experimental vaccine, developed by Oxford University and pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca. It has a similar deal to produce the vaccine domestically if it is successful in tests, which are also being carried out in Britain and South Africa.
Brazilian health regulators announced Monday they have also authorized Phase 1, 2 and 3 trials of two more vaccines, developed by US firm Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech.
Researchers worldwide are racing to develop and test a vaccine for the virus. There are more than 150 projects so far.
Studies published in British medical journal The Lancet found two vaccine candidates were safe and produced an immune response in Phase 2 trials: the Oxford vaccine and another Chinese-made vaccine, developed by pharmaceutical firm CanSino Biologics and the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology.
