TEHRAN – “Noora" coronavirus vaccine, domestically made by Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences affiliated to the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), is successfully passing the first phase of the clinical trial.

The recombinant vaccine entered the stage of human trial after 16 months of research work by Iranian scientists; it started the clinical trial on June 27.

The first dose of Noora vaccine has been injected into all volunteers and half of them have received the second dose so far, Hassan Abolqasemi, chancellor of Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, stated.

The vaccine is well undergoing the first phase of human testing, he noted, adding, the first phase of human testing lasts 2 months, so far more than a month has passed.

He stressed the need to integrate the human testing phase of the Noora vaccine and said that “this must be done to make the vaccine available for the mass vaccination; while many vaccine producing countries have done the same.”

Abolqasemi further expressed hope that permission would be given to combining the first and second phases of the human test, which could also be done for the second and third phases, IRNA reported on Saturday.

This vaccine has also been proven in the animal stage in terms of safety and immunity, he concluded.

Mass vaccination against COVID-19 started on Iranian citizens with the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine on February 9.

While Iran continues efforts to mass-produce local candidates, over 13 million doses of foreign vaccines have already been imported and others are expected soon.

Iran is also producing vaccines jointly with two countries Russia, and Australia, which may also be released by September.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, 14 vaccines are being domestically developed in the country which are in different study phases.

FB/MG