DOH eyes five hospitals for Sinovac vaccine trials

The Department of Health (DOH) has identified five hospitals for the Phase 3 clinical trials of a potential COVID-19 vaccine developed by China-based Sinovac Biotech.

The proposed trial sites include four state-owned hospitals: Philippine General Hospital, San Lazaro Hospital, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, and Vicente Sotto Medical Center, as well as one private hospital, Manila Doctors Hospital.

Sinovac is currently in Phase 2 of its trials and has reportedly started Phase 3 in other countries like Brazil.

Local manufacturing companies are processing applications for the trial study and have filed a confidentiality disclosure agreement; DOH's vaccine experts panel is reviewing these submissions.