PH in talks to secure 30M Covovax vaccine doses

The Philippines is in ongoing negotiations to procure approximately 30 million doses of the Covovax vaccine, a COVID-19 vaccine candidate currently in its third stage of clinical trials.

The Serum Institute of India (SII) will manufacture the Covovax vaccine, with Faberco Life Sciences serving as its local partner in the Philippines.

Dr. Luningning Villa, medical director of Faberco Life Sciences, expressed optimism that the vaccines could be available in the country by the third quarter of 2021 if negotiations conclude successfully.

The Covovax vaccine has undergone initial clinical trials in Australia, South Africa, and India, with the third phase currently involving 15,000 subjects in the UK and 30,000 subjects in the US and Mexico.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. met with Faberco Life Sciences on December 18 and indicated that while initial contract signings are being pushed for December, most are expected in January 2021.