Phl may start COVID-19 vaccine trials this month

Pharmaceutical companies may start clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines in the Philippines this month, according to Department of Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato de la Pena.

Companies that have applied for clinical trials include Sinovac of China, Gamaleya of Russia, AstraZeneca of Britain, and Janssen of the United States.

This is separate from the WHO Solidarity Trial, which the Philippine government is funding and managing.

The WHO Solidarity Trial, initially expected in December, is now slated to begin in mid-January 2021 across 14 hospitals in various regions.

Vaccine manufacturers for the WHO trial have not been officially disclosed, though Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and AstraZeneca globally have shown high effectiveness.

The Philippines has secured 2.6 million doses from AstraZeneca, funded by the private sector for donation to the government.

Vaccines could be available in the Philippines by March if emergency use authorization is granted, according to FDA Director General Eric Domingo.