Local firm inks agreement with China to produce and supply COVID-19 vaccine in Pakistan

(Karachi) As demand for COVID-19 vaccine increases, a local pharmaceutical company has inked an agreement with a Chinese company allowing it to produce and supply vaccine shots in Pakistan, local media reported on Thursday.

As per details, M/s Searle Company Limited has signed a pact with China’s Livzon Mapharm Inc. for manufacturing coronavirus vaccine (V-01) in the country.

“Searle Company has concluded an exclusive licensing and supply agreement with Livzon Mapharm Inc. for the Recombinant Novel Coronavirus Vaccine (V-01). The licensing agreement also covers the manufacturing transition of (V-01) in Pakistan,” the company said.

Reportedly, the vaccine is going through final trials and it is expected that it will show effective results. The company expressed the hope that it would add value to the overall exercise against the pandemic.

The firm is engaged in conducting phase Ill clinical study in multiple countries and has enrolled more than 20,000 subjects, to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity of the V-01 program.

Earlier, Chinese biopharmaceutical firm Sinovac said that a third production line for its Covid-19 vaccine has been put into use, doubling its annual capacity of the jabs to two billion doses.

Its CoronaVac is one of four domestic vaccines given conditional approval by Chinese authorities, which helps rush emergency drugs to market.

On Wednesday, experts from the World Health Organization said an interim analysis of clinical trial data from two Chinese vaccines, including Sinovac's product, showed they demonstrated "safety and good efficacy", although more data is still needed.