Argentina joins UAE, others in vaccine trial

Argentina joined Peru, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates in approving Phase 3 clinical trials for a coronavirus vaccine developed by China National Biotec Group (CNBG), the company said late on Friday, according to Reuters.

As China forges ahead in the global race to develop a vaccine to curb the COVID-19 pandemic and as cases within China dwindle, CNBG needs research participants from other countries for testing.

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Phase 3 trials, which usually involve several thousand participants, allow researchers to gather data on the efficacy of potential vaccines for final regulatory approvals.

CNBG will partner with Argentina's ELEA in the vaccine trial, the Chinese company said in a statement.

The UAE's Phase III COVID-19 Inactivated Vaccine Trial achieved its target of 15,000 volunteers within less than a month.

The experimental vaccine by CNBG, a unit of state-owned pharmaceutical giant China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm), received approval from the UAE in June for a Phase 3 trial and has since recruited 15,000 volunteers.

The company said on Thursday that Peru and Morocco also approved the trials.

CNBG has also obtained approval from Bahrain for a Phase 3 study designed to involve around 6,000 participants, the Reuters report added.

A recent report said the UAE's Phase III COVID-19 Inactivated Vaccine Trial achieved its target of 15,000 volunteers within less than a month, marking a major milestone towards developing the first tested, safe vaccine.

People of 107 nationalities participated in the trials, reflecting the diversity of the population and widespread national support for the UAE leadership’s commitment to overcoming the pandemic through a global collaborative effort.

Volunteers will receive their second vaccine shot in the coming weeks, and undergo regular health checks with full ongoing support from over 140 doctors, 300 nurses, and many more support staff involved in the trials.

The Abu Dhabi Department of Health praised the volunteers.

The Health Department said, “Thanks to the overwhelming response for volunteer registrations for the #4humanity vaccination programme, we have temporarily suspended all new registrations until Sunday 16 August."