MANILA, Philippines—A science and technology official on Thursday said vaccine developers from Russia, the United States and China have applied to hold Phase 3 clinical trials in the country for a possible coronavirus vaccine.
Russia shocked the international community in August when it became the first to approve a COVID-19 vaccine in an apparent race to find a cure with other developed countries.
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Dr. Jaime Montoya, executive director of the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development, said Gamaleya's Sputnik V is among the three applications they have received for the said trials.
The other two are Janssen Pharmaceuticals of American company Johnson & Johnson and Chinese firm Sinovac Biotech.
Montoya said there is no limit on how many countries or developers will be accepted for clinical trials, but the country will remain committed to the World Health Organization's solidarity trial which could begin by the last week of October.
"Basta lahat ng kumpanya na gumagawa, whether government or public, may agreement or no, puwede naman mag-clinical trial sa bansa," he said in a Laging Handa virtual briefing.
(All developers are welcome be it government or public firm, whether there is an agreement or non. They can hold clinical trials here in the country.)
The official added that the Philippine government is assuming that the firms will apply for eventual marketing in the country once the vaccines are approved.
But will the Philippines be a priority in getting supply from these firms should the vaccines work?
Montoya said the clinical trials are only a basis if the vaccines would work on Filipinos, and that the final decision would come from the Food and Drug Administration and the national government.
Still, he said the Philippines is among the 92 nations qualified to receive at least 20% of the supply through the COVAX facility, a global initiative to ensure that the vaccine will be made available to countries.
Three percent of the delivered 20, expected by the second quarter of 2021, will be for medical workers, while the 17% remaining will be for the most vulnerable to the COVID-19.
"'Yung remaining 80%, 'yun po ang ine-negotiate pa after the 20% has been delivered, at ito ay through the COVAX facility," Montoya said.
(The remaining 80% of supply will have to be negotiated after the 20% is delivered and it will be through the COVAX facility.)
President Rodrigo Duterte has said that he will prioritize vaccines developed by Russia and China as he questioned pharmaceutical companies from the West asking for payment in advance.