Riyadh: Saudi health ministry has announced the implementation of a clinical trial of a vaccine against the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) as it continues its efforts to address the global pandemic.
The ministry confirmed the continuation of its trials and research in this field within the framework of the cooperation agreement between the kingdom and China, according to Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
It has been made possible due to the unlimited support from the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, which has spared no effort to preserve the health and safety of its citizens and residents.
The ministry indicated that an action plan is being developed to implement a clinical trial in the third phase of the vaccine in cooperation with Chinese company CanSino, which carried out trials for the first and second phases in China.
It also stated that the third phase will include multi-centre clinical studies in different countries and in large numbers after the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine has been confirmed in the first and second phases.
The study that will be implemented in Saudi will target at least 5,000 healthy volunteers, who are over the age of 18 and work is currently underway to begin trials in three main cities, namely Riyadh, Dammam and Makkah.
This step comes as a continuation of the studies and research being conducted by the health ministry in this area in cooperation with the World Health Organisation after an advanced multi-centre clinical study was conducted in seven hospitals in the kingdom to combat the disease.
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