UAE: Ministry of Health announces 86 per cent vaccine efficacy (Gulf News)

The #4Humanity phase III trials have included 31,000 volunteers across 125 nationalities.

Image Credit: WAM

Abu Dhabi: The UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention, MOHAP, has announced the official registration of Beijing Institute of Biological Product’s inactivated COVID-19 vaccine in a major step towards combating the global pandemic.

The registration of this vaccine was a decision in response to the application from Sinopharm CNBG. The announcement is a significant vote of confidence by the UAE’s health authorities in the safety and efficacy of this vaccine.

MOHAP in collaboration with the Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DOH) reviewed Sinopharm CNBG’s interim analysis of the phase III trials, which shows the Beijing Institute of Biological Product’s inactivated vaccine to have 86 per cent efficacy against COVID-19 infection.

The analysis also shows the vaccine to have 99 per cent seroconversion rate of neutralizing antibody and 100 per cent effectiveness in preventing moderate and severe cases of the disease. Furthermore, the analysis shows no serious safety concerns.

This vaccine was granted Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) since September by MOHAP to protect frontline workers most at risk of COVID-19. The UAE is conducting Post Authorisation Safety Study (PASS) and Post Authorisation Efficacy Study (PAES) of its EUA program. These ongoing studies show similar safety and efficacy profiles as the interim analysis.