Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the Health Ministryhas directed units to study and clinically test made-in-Vietnam vaccines whileseeking technology transfer from abroad to proactively fight the pandemic in thecountry.
The ministry’s Administration of Science Technology andTraining (ASTT) said on June 12 that two domestic manufacturers are workingon COVID-19 vaccines. In particular, Nanocovax by the Nanogen PharmaceuticalBiotechnology JSC has been approved for the third stage of clinical trials,which will be carried out by the Military Medical University and the Ho ChiMinh City Pasteur Institute right there and in Hung Yen, Long An and Tien Giangprovinces and several qualified units.
About 13,000 people will be chosen for the phase.
Another candidate is COVIVAC by the Nha Trang Institute of Vaccinesand Medical Biologicals (IVAC) which is under the first stage of clinicaltesting. The second stage is scheduled to take place in Thai Binh province.
The IVAC plans to produce about 6 million doses each year whileNanogen expects to manufacture around 20-30 million doses annually.
According to the ASTT, the Health Minister on May 7 issued Decision No.2301/QD-BYT on the establishment of a steering committee for aresearch programme on COVID-19 vaccine technology transfer and production.
Vingroup negotiated with a US manufacturer to transfer the technology of producingvaccine from mRNA which requires only one shot of 5mg. Its plant will becapable of producing 100-200 million doses each year, starting from the fourthquarter of this year or the first quarter of next year.
At present, the Company for Vaccine and Biological Production No.1is stepping up negotiations with a Japanese partner to transfer technology toVietnam.
It also signed a deal with a Russian investment fund for thesale of 5 million doses of Sputnik-V vaccine each month, towards transferringtechnology with an annual capacity of 100 million doses./.
