3000 to be invited to participate in vaccine trials - The Star Online

PETALING JAYA: Three thousand Malaysian adults will be invited to participate in the phase three clinical trials for a new vaccine manufactured by Chinese firm Shenzhen Kangtai Biological Products Co Ltd, says the Health Ministry.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the clinical study involving the inactivated vaccine was approved by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Division (NPRA) on May 28.

The third phase of the clinical study of this vaccine would be conducted in eight research centres in Malaysia targeting the participation of 3,000 adults aged 18 and above and was expected to take 15 to 19 months, he said.

“The Health Ministry would like to inform that there is an addition of one clinical study, involving the product SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (Vero Cells), Inactivated, 5μg/0.5mL manufactured by Shenzhen Kangtai Biological Products Co Ltd from China.

“Malaysia is one of the countries involved in this clinical study besides Colombia, Argentina, Pakistan, the Philippines and Ukraine.

“This vaccine has also been approved by China for emergency use on May 14,2021, ” he said.

Dr Noor Hisham said that clinical studies of Covid-19 vaccine conducted in Malaysia could provide clinical information related to the efficacy and safety of the vaccine, as well as information on the suitability of the vaccine for Malaysians.

He added that this was an advantage needed by the government to reach the targeted herd immunity via the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme which is currently in full swing nationwide.

This is the second Covid-19 vaccine clinical trial that Malaysia is involved in.

In January, Malaysia started phase three clinical trials for a Covid-19 vaccine developed by the Institute of Medical Biology Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.