PH TALKING TO OTHER VACCINE MAKERS

THE Philippines is looking at other vaccine manufacturers so it will have more choices to consider once clinical trials for prospective coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines get the green light.

Such collaborations would ensure that the government would be able to provide vaccines to those who need it most, according to Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the department would hold discussions with the University of Queensland/CSL Laboratories team, which is developing a vaccine that is now under preclinical trials.

She noted that the Vaccine Expert Panel led by the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Health is examining the confidential data agreement (CDA) with vaccine developer Moderna.

“Once these CDAs are finalized, we can move forward for further meetings to finalize our agreements with them, ” Vergeire said.

On the other hand, the country had not made any commitment with Pfizer Inc. for its own vaccine, she added.

The American multinational pharmaceutical said it would not hold a Phase 3 clinical trial in the country since their trials are in the “advanced stages,” she bared.

Pfizer has asked the Philippine panel for an estimate on how many vaccines the country will order.

Vergeire said Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd would discuss with other government agencies pre-ordering procedures.

She also said it was up to the Vaccine Expert Panel if it would agree to the findings of Gamaleya Research Institute on its Sputnik V vaccine after results from its Phase 1 and 2 trials were published in the medical journal The Lancet.

“We leave it to our vaccine experts panel to provide recommendations to the government on how we move further ahead,” Vergeire said.

The panel had also reviewed the documents on the Phase 1 and 2 trials and has sent its comments on the technical details of the vaccine to the Russian government to be forwarded to the Institute, she continued.

The Philippine Embassy in Russia is coordinating with Moscow on holding discussions with Gamaleya, Vergeire added.