Pakistan to get COVID-19 vaccine from China to conduct clinical trials

(Karachi) Pakistan will receive coronavirus vaccine from China, one of its closest allies, to vaccinate the most vulnerable among its population, including the elderly, healthcare workers and people with medical conditions associated with serious cases of Covid-19, as per a report in the Wall Street Journal.

China has reached one of its first agreements to test its coronavirus vaccine in populations beyond its borders.

The publication stated about one-fifth of the country’s population could be covered by the allocation while Pakistan is also negotiating with another Chinese company to conduct trials of its vaccine in the country.

"China hasn’t been a major vaccine producer globally. It needs to test its COVID-19 vaccines outside its borders because coronavirus cases in China have dwindled and it is harder to find the population diversity required," read the report.

The publication reported that the state-owned China National Pharmaceutical Group, commonly known as Sinopharm, has teamed up with Karachi University’s International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences to hold the trials in Pakistan.

“Pakistan would get the vaccine on a priority basis,” an official involved in forging the pact told the Wall Street Journal. However, the official clarified that the financial terms of the deal are yet to be finalised.

Pakistan will conduct Phase 1 trials of the vaccine and then move rapidly to the final stage Phase 3 trial. The final phase would require tens of thousands of volunteers. China has developed three coronavirus vaccines which are in the Phase 3 trials.