Two Chinese COVID-19 vaccines used in Latin America entered final phase of WHO expert review

WHO has entered the final stages of reviewing two Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines that are already in use in Latin America to add them to the list of safe and effective tools to control the pandemic. The Strategic Advisory Group on Immunization, led by Mexican specialist Alejandro Cravioto, reported today that after receiving the data sent by the laboratories that produce the Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines, the final step in the review of the two vaccines . They also said that The review process for the Sputnik V vaccine, prepared by the Gamaleya Institute, Russia, has started.

The same group of experts recognized that there is still limited evidence on the possible reduction in the effectiveness of COVID vaccines in general with the coronavirus variants of concern, which are those of Brazil, England and South Africa.

In recent months, the expert group has recommended Pfizer / BioNTech, Astrazeneca-SK Bio and Serum Institute of India and Johnson and Johnson vaccines for emergency use. But on the list of vaccines to be reviewed, they had 17 in total, and more are in the works.

In the case of the two Chinese vaccines – Sinopharm and Sinovac – they are already applied in different Latin American countries, after being authorized by regulatory agencies or national health authorities. Expert Alejandro Cravioto, who chairs the WHO SAGE Group, reported that the Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines are in the “final testing process” and may soon be included in the list of emergency uses.

“The data the two companies shared publicly last week at the last SAGE meeting clearly indicates that the vaccines have efficacy levels in line with WHO requirements,” Cravioto told a press conference. held today.

In the case of the Sinopharm vaccine, had been authorized in Argentina on February 21 by a resolution of the Ministry of Health of the Nation for emergency use. Last week, The use of the Chinese vaccine for people over the age of 60 was extended after approval by regulatory agency ANMAT.

It has been detailed that the Sinopharm vaccine, which is produced by the Beijing Institute of Biologics, has shown an efficacy of 78.89% in clinical trials involving 25,730 volunteers. As it was authorized for those under 60, they were intended for health workers and teachers from February until last week.

In addition to Argentina, the Sinopharm vaccine is applied in Bolivia, Venezuela and Peru. Antibodies activated by two Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine products have a “fairly good” neutralizing effect on variants found in Britain and South Africa, as well as a few others, reported Zhang Yuntao, vice president of China National Biotec Group (CNBG), a subsidiary of Sinopharm, citing results of laboratory tests with blood samples taken from participants in clinical trials. They also assess whether they need to give a third dose to increase effectiveness.

As for the Sinovac vaccines, they are already administered in countries such as Mexico, Chile and El Salvador. These vaccines were tested in a clinical trial in Brazil, and the company that makes them said on Tuesday that its COVID-19 vaccine is safe for children aged 3 to 17, according to preliminary data. The company sent the data to the Chinese drug regulatory agency. More than 70 million doses of Sinovac vaccine have already been distributed in China and other countries.

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