Vietnam could start production of homegrown Covid-19 vaccine in May 2021
Vietnam is preparing to produce its first domestically developed Covid-19 vaccine after the country’s health ministry on December 10 approved the start of clinical trials.
The homegrown vaccine project has been started in March this year by Ho Chi Minh-based Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Company, where more than 300 specialists have worked non-stop on the medical development, according to VN Express.
The basic stages have been completed, including protein synthesis, purification, finalisation of the finished formula, repeated tests of toxicity and other tests on mice and monkeys, the report said.
The company will now cooperate with the Vietnam Military Medical Academy to start recruiting volunteers to participate in the first phase of human trials as early as from December 17 and, depending on the results, could start mass production by May 2021 and begin vaccinating Vietnam’s 100-million-population in the second half of next year.
“Affordable pricing”
The vaccine, named Nanocovax, is expected to be priced at 120,000 dong ($5.20) per dose, according to Nanogen research and development director Do Minh Si. Since each person needs two shots of coronavirus vaccines to create immunity, the regimen totals 240,000 dong.
Nanogen said that this was a reasonable price that made the vaccine “affordable to all Vietnamese,” while it was trying to include it in the list of drugs covered by health insurance.
As a second step, the company could also export the vaccine to countries such as Bangladesh, India or Indonesia.
Currently, Nanogen is capable of producing up to 20 million doses a year, but it could raise its capacity to up to 70 million doses a year of Nanocovax to meet domestic demand and then for export.
As of December 12, Vietnam had 1,391 reported Covid-19 infections, of which 1,238 recovered and 35 died.
Picture: VGB Vietnam is preparing to produce its first domestically developed Covid-19 vaccine after the country’s health ministry on December 10 approved the start of clinical trials. The homegrown vaccine project has been started in March this year by Ho Chi Minh-based Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Company, where more than 300 specialists have worked non-stop on the medical development, according to VN Express. The basic stages have been completed, including protein synthesis, purification, finalisation of the finished formula, repeated tests of toxicity and other tests on mice and monkeys, the report said. The company will now cooperate with the Vietnam Military...
Vietnam is preparing to produce its first domestically developed Covid-19 vaccine after the country’s health ministry on December 10 approved the start of clinical trials.
The homegrown vaccine project has been started in March this year by Ho Chi Minh-based Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Company, where more than 300 specialists have worked non-stop on the medical development, according to VN Express.
The basic stages have been completed, including protein synthesis, purification, finalisation of the finished formula, repeated tests of toxicity and other tests on mice and monkeys, the report said.
The company will now cooperate with the Vietnam Military Medical Academy to start recruiting volunteers to participate in the first phase of human trials as early as from December 17 and, depending on the results, could start mass production by May 2021 and begin vaccinating Vietnam’s 100-million-population in the second half of next year.
“Affordable pricing”
The vaccine, named Nanocovax, is expected to be priced at 120,000 dong ($5.20) per dose, according to Nanogen research and development director Do Minh Si. Since each person needs two shots of coronavirus vaccines to create immunity, the regimen totals 240,000 dong.
Nanogen said that this was a reasonable price that made the vaccine “affordable to all Vietnamese,” while it was trying to include it in the list of drugs covered by health insurance.
As a second step, the company could also export the vaccine to countries such as Bangladesh, India or Indonesia.
Currently, Nanogen is capable of producing up to 20 million doses a year, but it could raise its capacity to up to 70 million doses a year of Nanocovax to meet domestic demand and then for export.
As of December 12, Vietnam had 1,391 reported Covid-19 infections, of which 1,238 recovered and 35 died.
