Pakistan permits China's Anhui Zhifei for vaccine's clinical trials

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s drug regulator has granted permission to a Chinese company for third phase clinical trials of its Covid-19 vaccine candidate in the country, ARY News reported on Sunday.

“The clinical trials committee of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has granted permission to China’s Anhui Zhifei longcom for clinical trials of its vaccine,” sources said.

China’s bio-pharmaceutical company, Anhui Zhifei had sought permission for clinical trials in Pakistan in December 2020, sources said.

The Chinese pharma company initially, will conduct third phase clinical trials of its Covid-19 vaccine candidate in Karachi and Lahore.

Anhui Zhifei longcom will conduct its vaccine’s clinical trials in Karachi at a private hospital, while in Lahore at the University of Health Sciences and another private health facility, according to sources.

“In Pakistan 9,000 volunteers will participate in clinical trials of the Anhui Zhifei vaccine,” sources said.

According to sources, Anhui Zhifei had prepared its Covid vaccine in May 2020 under the aegis of the Chinese Company of Sciences. The company had conducted the phase I and phase II trials in June 2020, in which the vaccine was found safe and effective against the disease.

Around 29,000 volunteers are participating in third phase of the clinical trials of the vaccine in different countries.

Anhui Zhifei has been second Chinese company holding trials of its vaccine in Pakistan. Earlier, CanSino Bio has completed clinical trials of its vaccine in Pakistan.