China’s Clover Biopharmaceuticals is currently shipping its supplies to jumpstart its vaccine clinical trials “soon”, an official of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said on Wednesday, March 17.
"Clover shipment of supplies and materials are ongoing and will start soon,” Undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevara who leads the Task Group on Vaccine Evaluation and Selection (TG-VES) told the Manila Bulletin in a text message.
Clover Biopharmaceuticals’ independent clinical trial application was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Jan.8.
Three vaccine developers have been given the green light to conduct their Phase 3 clinical trials in the Philippines. These include Clover Pharmaceuticals, and Sinovac Biotech and Belgium-based Janssen Pharmaceuticals.
"Sinovac has finalized trial sites,” Guevara noted.
In a radio interview on Feb. 28, Dr. Nina Gloriani, head of the DOST’s vaccine expert panel, said Sinovac Biotech is expected to start its Phase 3 trials among the elderly in April.
Sinovac secured FDA’s approval on Jan. 15.
When asked if they have recorded any adverse events from the vaccine clinical trials conducted by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Guevara said, "Adverse events, if any, will be reported to FDA.”
Janssen Pharmaceuticals started in February its Phase 3 vaccine clinical trials in the country.