TEHRAN - The second Iranian-made coronavirus vaccine, named Razi Cov Pars, started the third phase of the human trial on August 24.

Developed by the Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, the vaccine is protein-based, which employs recombinant versions of the spike protein and tutors the immune system against the virus by producing antibodies, started the first clinical trial in February 27.

The vaccine is developed in 3 doses, the first two doses are injectable and the third dose is intranasal. The second dose of the vaccine will be injected into the volunteers 21 days later and the third dose will be inhaled 51 days later.

One million doses of “Razi Cov Pars” vaccine will be produced each month as of September.

Iran has also successfully completed the first phase of the human trial for Fakhra vaccine, the third domestically developed COVID-19 vaccine, named after nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh (he was assassinated in November 2020 near Tehran), that was unveiled and started the clinical trial on March 16.

“Osvid-19”, the fourth domestic vaccine produced by Osvah Pharmaceutical Company is also undergoing human trials, which will also be available in early September.

On May 24, the first coronavirus vaccine made by the private sector in Iran succeeded in receiving the code of ethics and entered the phase of clinical studies.

An Iranian knowledge-based company is developing an oral vaccine against COVID-19, which will be produced by the next [Iranian calendar] year (starting March 2022), IRIB reported on Wednesday.

Next year, three vaccines, one of which is oral, will enter the clinical phase, Mostafa Ghanei, secretary of the biotechnology development office of the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology announced.

Currently, some 9 companies are developing vaccines; three are also working on developing oral, viral vector, and mRNA-based vaccines, he stated.

Iran is one of the few countries that has all vaccine production platforms, Mohammad Reza Shanehsaz, head of the Iranian Food and Drug Administration, has stated.

With the efforts of local experts, the 20-year path of vaccine development was completed in a few months, he highlighted.

In the field of vaccine production, great and unique steps were taken by the pharmaceutical industry, he noted, ISNA reported on Sunday.

The reason why some countries got vaccinated earlier than us is because of their experience on the development of SARS and MERS vaccines, otherwise, our speed would have been much faster than other countries, he explained.

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, several foreign vaccines have already been imported and others are expected soon.

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

Eleven countries from Asia and South America, and a European country have asked for importing Iranian-made coronavirus vaccine (COVIRAN BAREKAT), Hassan Jalili, the vaccine’s production manager, has said.

Christoph Hamelmann, the former representative of the World Health Organization in Iran, said in March that Iran has one of the most successful platforms in the world for COVID-19 vaccine production.

"Considering the production line of the Pasteur vaccine, Iran is very advanced and successful in developing a vaccine while being able to help other countries, I am sure that Iran’s vaccine production platform is one of the most successful ones in the region," he said.

MG