PH Government signs agreement to secure 30M doses of Covovax
 |
Photo by Dr. Luningning Villa of DOH
The Philippine government, represented by Vaccine Czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., Serum Institute of India (SII) and Faberco Life Sciences, Inc., have signed a Term Sheet on January 9, 2021 to secure the supply of 30 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine Covovax, which will be available starting third quarter of this year.
“This is a significant milestone in relations between India and the Philippines. It shows that we don’t have to look far beyond Philippine shores to find friends who are willing to help each other out,” Kishore Hemlani, Founder of Faberco Life Sciences Inc., SII’s Philippine partner, said after the signing with Sec. Galvez.
SII,
the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, partnered with Novavax, a US-based
biotechnology company for the development and commercialization of the Covovax
vaccine. The vaccine has the recombinant coronavirus spike protein nanoparticle
and a Novavax-patented Matrix-M adjuvant to enhance the immune response and
stimulate high levels of neutralizing antibodies. Covovax is in third-stage
trials and expected to be approved for use by international regulators.
“The
vaccine will be used to vaccinate 15 million vulnerable and poor Filipinos. The
vaccine is stable at 2°C to 8°C, the standard temperature that is within the
existing cold chain system in the Philippines, thus allowing its distribution
to the remotest barangays,” said Faberco Life Sciences Medical Director Dr.
Luningning Villa.
The
candidate vaccine is thoroughly evaluated in different geographies, various age
groups, groups that are most affected by COVID-19, including people living with
HIV, and racial and ethnic minorities. The clinical trials involve a sizeable
population of around 50,000 subjects to ensure extreme robust clinical data
prior to approval by relevant regulatory bodies including the World Health
Organization.
The
vaccine underwent the initial phase of the clinical trials in Australia, South
Africa and India. Phase-three trial is currently carried out in the UK with
15,000 subjects and also ongoing in the United States and Mexico with 30,000
subjects.
The
price of the vaccine is expected to be finalized soon between the government
and SII, which is noted for providing effective, safe and affordable vaccines
across the globe through the decades. SII is a dependable supplier of various
vaccines to the Philippines, especially those used in the government’s Expanded
Program for Immunization.
Faberco
Life Sciences, Inc., is also SII’s partner for key programs in the country such
as the Inactivated Polio vaccine, Rotavirus vaccine, Pneumococcal Conjugate
vaccine, aside from the COVID-19 vaccine.
