TEHRAN – The second Iranian-made coronavirus vaccine, named Razi Cov Pars, started the second phase of the human trial on Friday by being administrated to 500 people.

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 on 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.

The first phase of the vaccine was performed on 133 people in 4 groups with doses of 5, 10, 20 and one control group with the aim of measuring immunogenicity and selecting the effective dose, Saeed Kalantari, the main researcher of the vaccine's clinical trial said.

"Fortunately, any serious side effects have been reported after the injection," he stated, adding, mild complications were seen only in some vaccine recipients ranged from headache, mild fever, and injection site pain which is normal and common in every vaccine.

In the second phase, people with controlled diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure were included in the study and we also saw an increase in the age group from 55 to 70 years, he explained.

He went on to say that the third phase of the study will begin in early or mid-August, with at least 20,000 people. The mass production will start with a capacity of 1.5 million doses per month, which will be launched at the same time as the third phase.

COVIRAN to complete third phase of human trial by late June

COVIRAN BAREKAT, the first coronavirus vaccine made by researchers at the Headquarters for Executing the Order of the Imam, will complete the third phase of the human trial by late June.

The vaccine was unveiled on December 29, 2020, started to be mass-produced on March 29.

Some 800,000 to 1 million doses of the vaccine have been produced, however, the public use depends on the successful completion of the third stage of human testing and the issuance of a license by the Ministry of Health, Seyed Reza Mazhari, executive director of the third phase of clinical studies said.

By June, this number will reach 12 million doses per month, and in August, and by September we will produce 20 to 25 million doses of vaccine, he stated.

Mass vaccination

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.

Domestic vaccines

Meanwhile, a vaccine developed by the Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute (Razi Cov Pars) is expected to become the second Iranian-made vaccine to be administered among the population in early August; which started the clinical trial on February 27.

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.

FB/MG