9 Covid vaccines under WHO review

Nine candidate vaccines for the Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines are being considered for the Global COVAX Facility, as 172 countries expressed interest to join the initiative, including the Philippines, according to the World Health Organization and Gavi vaccine alliance.

The vaccines are from Inovio, Moderna, CureVac, Institut Pasteur/Merck and Themis, AstraZeneca/University of Oxford, University of Hong Kong, Novavax, Clover Biopharmaceuticals, and the University of Queensland/CSL manufacturing groups, all of which are in varying phases of clinical trials.

In a statement, WHO and Gavi said that the COVAX research led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) aims to develop three safe and effective vaccines that can be made available to participating countries.

It added that COVAX will consider procuring vaccines that would complement the portfolio of any vaccine producer in the world, with talks underway from additional manufacturers not receiving support from CEPI to procure their own vaccines if they are successful.

“Maximizing the portfolio of vaccines increases the probability of success as individual vaccines historically have a high failure rate.” it said.

In a previous statement, the COVAX facility aims to accelerate the development and manufacture of the Covid-19 vaccine, as well as to “guarantee fair and equitable access” of the medication to every country in the world.

COVAX aims to deliver two billion doses of safe, effective vaccines that have passed regulatory approval and/or prequalification.

The Philippines, through the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), has approved the country’s participation in the global facility in July, ensuring the country would have ample supply of the vaccine for at least 20 percent of the population.

“Etong COVAX facility…basta pumasok ka dyan, mayroon ka siyempreng kailangang contribution for that, but definitely ang bawat country will be assured of 20 percent of their population na maaring mabigyan. (This COVAX facility, once you enter, you should have a contribution for that, but definitely, every country will be assured that 20 percent of their population will be inoculated).” Health Undersecretary and Spokesman Maria Rosario Vergeire said.

Source: TheManila Times