By Chathushka Perera
Islamabad (CWBN)_ A local news outlet, Dawn, reported that claims were made by an anonymous source within the Ministry of National Health Services, that a Covid-19 vaccine is expected to be delivered by China within a the next six months.
The news arrives following an agreement between the two countries, as China began Phase-III trials on a version of the vaccines in Pakistan in August. The measure was also condoned by Pakistan’s National Institute of Health and heavily touted by the media.
Moreover, the above quoted official further revealed apparent insider information into a research collaboration between the University of Health Sciences (Lahore) and the University of Oxford, yet the patent was sold to a company based in India. University of Oxford published the conclusions of its Phase-II trail today (12th) with positive results, and confirmed via its official website that it is “working with the UK-based global biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca” to further develop the vaccine.
Although AstraZaneca is based in the UK, it is sharedly owned by British and Swedish investors and has a business registration and interests in India. The trials for the vaccine was conducted in India and England, while the third phase includes Brazil, South Africa and the US.
It must also be noted that AstraZaneca has a total manufacturing capacity to provide two billion doses.
However, Phase-III trials hit a snag early last month when one volunteer presented with transverse myelitis (inflammation on a section of the spinal chord) but the trials were commenced a week after, excluding the US, as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is yet to conclude its investigations.
Currently 170 vaccines are in the process of being introduced and of this number only 11 have commenced Phase-III trials, these include Johnson and Johnson, Pfizer, Moderna Inc., AstraZeneca-Oxford, Gamaleya Research Institute (Russian Ministry of Health) and Cansino Biologics.
Cansino Biologics, in partnership with the Chinese Academy for Military Medical Sciences, is currently responsible for trailing the vaccine in Pakistan. Although this is the case, there are significant concerns regarding the rapidity of the trial processes. The first phase meant for safety and dosage testing was concluded in May, just five months after the outbreak in Wuhan, China. The second trial which involves broader safety tests was concluded in two months (June) and Phase-III was initiated in August.
As infection rates continue to rise in many countries across the globe, the need for an effective vaccine has not only become global crisis response but also an exquisite business opportunity for large scale companies and government partners.
A great number of experts advise extreme caution in the administration of rapidly developed vaccines, particularly those in limited-circulation. In the norm, drug testing demands many years of testing and research to reach clinical application.
Edited by Elishya Perera
