UAE says Sinopharm vaccine has 86% efficacy against COVID-19

DUBAI: An experimental coronavirus vaccine developed by China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) has 86% efficacy, the health ministry of the United Arab Emirates said on Wednesday, citing an interim analysis of late-stage clinical trials.

In July, the Gulf Arab state started Phase III clinical trials of the vaccine, developed by Beijing Institute of Biological Product, a unit of Sinopharm’s China National Biotec Group (CNBG).

In September, it authorised emergency use of the vaccine for certain groups, the first such international clearance for a vaccine developed in China.

The analysis also shows “99% seroconversion rate of neutralizing antibody and 100% effectiveness in preventing moderate and severe cases of the disease”, the ministry said in a statement carried by the state news agency.

“The analysis shows no serious safety concerns,” it said.

Sinopharm and G42 have also expanded the trial to Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain.

Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s capital, this week said it was seeking volunteers to take part in clinical trials of Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine, known as Sputnik V.

The UAE, with a population of around 9 million, has recorded 178,837 infections and 596 deaths from the disease.

The vaccine is among the three most advanced candidates from China in terms of development and has been used to vaccinate around one million people in the country under its emergency use programme.