Iran Starts Registering Volunteers for Clinical Trial of Home-Made Coronavirus Vaccine
2020-December-22
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran on Wednesday started enrolling volunteers for the human trial of the country's indigenous coronavirus vaccine.
“Given the fact that necessary license has been issued by the health ministry after successful tests on animals, a process starts today to enroll individuals willing to participate in the final test stage of the Iran-made coronavirus vaccine,” Head of Iran’s Headquarters for Executing the Order of Imam Mohammad Mokhber said.
He added that individuals with the needed standards and feature, including age range and physical health, can volunteer for the process.
A member of the scientific committee of the National Task Force for Fighting Coronavirus and a researcher on the Iranian COVID-19 vaccine production project announced on Monday that all preparations have been done for the start of the human phase of the vaccine and will be done in the coming days.
"This vaccine's human trial has different phases and it will be injected to 56 people in the first phase," Minoo Mohraz said.
She explained that the vaccine is given twice to the volunteer people, and said, "The first vaccine injected produces antibodies in the body after a while, but the main antibody that creates immunity is produced after the second injection."
Mohraz noted that the Iranian vaccine company's actions have been registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Without FDA permission, a new phase of the vaccine would not have been possible.
"If the test is successful and gets a manufacturing license from the FDA, it looks like the vaccine will enter the domestic market by late spring," the official stated.
She pointed out that until the domestic vaccine is made, it is necessary to prepare imported vaccines, and the relevant authorities are working hard to achieve this, she noted.
Recalling that two of the vaccines have been approved up to now, Mohraz said, "We are having some trouble buying vaccines due to US sanctions, but the government is following up."
She stressed that vaccines should now be available for high-risk groups and medical staff, such as nurses and physicians who deal directly with patients.
Also, last week, Iranian Health Minister Saeed Namaki said that the country’s home-made coronavirus vaccine will pass the human trial phase and will be prepared for mass-production in the spring.
“We will put the Iranian coronavirus vaccine on the table next spring and we are pursuing its development every moment,” Namaki said, addressing a meeting in the Eastern province of South Khorassan.
Elsewhere, he blasted the US for sanctions and obstacles placed on Iran’s way to import the needed medicine for patients, saying that despite Washington's hostilities, the Iranian nation prays for the health of the American people.