TEHRAN – Two European countries and three regional countries have asked to purchase homegrown coronavirus vaccine (COVIRAN BAREKAT), Mohammad Mokhber, the head of the Headquarters for Executing the Order of the Imam has said.

COVIRAN BAREKAT, the first coronavirus vaccine made by researchers at the Headquarters for Executing the Order of the Imam which was unveiled on December 29, 2020, started to be mass-produced on March 29.

At least two European countries and three countries in the region are now seeking to negotiate on purchasing vaccine, but we will export once the domestic needs are met, he noted, adding, the production capacity of COVID-19 vaccine in the world is about 2 billion doses per year, while the need for a vaccine is about 14-16 billion doses.

“We have achieved great success in developing vaccine; as clinical trials were conducted successfully, and the third phase of the human trial will start by the next two or three weeks, but what is more important is mass production of vaccines,” he noted.

Mokhber went on to say that the production line of three million doses of vaccine per month has been fully completed and we have gained valuable achievements in the field of research and development.

In the beginning, our scientists could get 100 doses of vaccine per liter of the virus, which increased up to 1,000 doses by now, he highlighted.

"In the first phase, we can produce 3 million doses of vaccine per month and we are determined to submit the first shipment of BAREKAT vaccine with a capacity of one million doses to the Ministry of Health and the Iranian people in May," he said.

The second line of vaccine production with a capacity of 12 to 15 million doses will also be operational in two months, its construction stages have been completed and it is planned to be launched in mid-July, he added.

At the end of June, the vaccine production capacity will reach 18-20 million doses per month, which can definitely increase in case of any changes in condition, he also stated.

Homegrown vaccines

The second Iranian coronavirus vaccine, Razi Cov Pars, which started the clinical trial on February 27, will be mass-produced in early August.

Fakhra vaccine, the third homegrown vaccine, was unveiled and started the clinical trial on March 16.

On January 27, Health Minister Saeed Namaki said Iran will soon be one of the world’s important manufacturers of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Mass-vaccination

Iran started mass vaccination against COVID-19 with Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine on February 9, with the priority given to medical staff, the elderly, and people with underlying diseases; which is also going to be co-produced by the two countries.

The first shipment of the COVAX vaccine was delivered to Tehran in early April.

“Currently, about 250,000 people in the country have been vaccinated and about 56,000 others have received the second dose of the vaccine,” Alireza Raeisi, spokesman for the National Headquarters for Coronavirus control said.

FB/MG