TEHRAN – The latest achievements of Iranian researchers for developing COVID-19 vaccine platforms were discussed in a meeting in the presence of Health Minister Saeed Namaki and senior representatives of the World Health Organization.
On the sidelines of the meeting, the health minister said Iran will soon be recognized as one of the leading countries in coronavirus vaccine development.
Vaccine platform in several Iranian companies, including in the pharmaceutical department of the Headquarters for Executing the Order of the Imam, has successfully passed the first and second phases and are going through the third phase, he explained.
The procedure of vaccine testing before final approval is divided into five steps: Stage 1, Phase I, II & III, and Stage 2.
“We were all surprised to hear the scientific achievements of Iranian researchers,” said Ahmad al-Manzari, the regional director of the World Health Organization.
Various methods are taken to develop the vaccine in several countries around the world, but one of the methods that are being followed in Iran is completely new and unique, and we hope that the researchers, using stem cell and cell therapy, to achieve ultimate success, he added.
“We are pleased with the scientific and pharmaceutical advances in Iran, and the fact is that in Iran all methods and platforms are used to make the vaccine which shows that political restrictions have no effect on scientific development,” Christoph Hamelmann, WHO Representative in Iran said.
Widespread vaccination by Sept. 2021
Mostafa Ghane’ei, an official with the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology, said that the domestically produced COVID-19 vaccine will probably be injected into the whole population in the [next Iranian calendar year] month of Mehr (starting September 23, 2021).
Emphasizing that no Iranian vaccine has been yet allowed to enter the human phase so far, he said that “progress is made when the Food and Drug Administration issues a vaccine clinical work permit.”
All vaccines are in the pre-clinical stage and it is hoped that at least 4 vaccines to start phase 3 of the human trial in September 2021, he highlighted.
Now that coronavirus vaccines have been developed in the world and the third phase of clinical trials has passed, the possible side effects are almost certain, and Iran will be aware of the side effects which speeds up the process, he noted, adding, “vaccines produced in Iran are the same as those produced in China, India, the United States, etc.”
Iraj Harirchi, the deputy minister of health, has said that in Iran, 12 groups are making efforts to develop coronavirus vaccine, three of which have passed the animal testing.
Monday, Nov 30, 2020
Content source:
TehranTimes- Iran’s Leading International daily
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