PakVac: Pakistan creates own COVID-19 vaccine with Chinese help

Pakistan has witnessed deadly COVID-19 pandemic waves which left at least 20,930 dead.

Pakistan on Tuesday inaugurated an antisera processing plant and launched 120,000 doses of PakVac produced from the concentrate of Cansino vaccine while the World Health Organisation (WHO) validated the emergency use of Sinovac vaccine, reports Dawn News.

National Institute of Health (NIH) Executive Director Maj Gen Prof Aamer Ikram, who attended the launch ceremony, told Dawn News that 120,000 doses were ready for use and the concentrate to produce 900,000 more doses had been procured.

“We held clinical trial with CanSinoBio in Pakistan and also made an agreement with it for technology transfer. We have been aiming to produce as many as three million doses every month as well as the raw material in future,” he added.

Prof Ikram said it was a big success as the vaccine was produced through an antisera production plant which was Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) qualified and International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) certified.

“We have also repaired two already available filling plants due to which we can further enhance the production of vaccine. Moreover, we will also be self-sufficient in the production of vaccines for measles, cholera and typhoid,” he added.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan wrote on his official Twitter handle: " Congratulations to the NIH Pak team and its leadership for successful fill/finish (from concentrate) of the Cansino vaccine with the help of Cansino Bio Inc. China. The product has passed the rigorous internal QA testing. An imp step to help in our vaccine supply line."

Image:  Faisal Sultan Twitter page