Official: Iran to Start Mass-Production of Indigenized Vaccine Late Spring

Spokesman of Iran’s Food and Drug Organization (IFDA) Kianoush Jahanpour said that the indigenized coronavirus vaccine, COV-Iran, developed by the Iranian scientists at the Headquarters for Executing the Order of Imam Khomeini (HEIKO) will be mass-produced late in spring.

“Phase 2 of human trial of COV-Iran Barekat vaccine will be terminated by the end of April. Given the reports of its success, the vaccine seems to have entered phase 3 and we will start the mass production phase in late spring to do general vaccination,” Jahanpour said on Monday.

He added that a joint vaccine is also being developed in cooperation between Cuba and the Pasteur Institute of Iran. “Phase 1 and 2 of its clinical trial have been conducted in Cuba and phase 3 has begun in Cuba,” he said, noting that 100,000 doses of this vaccine have been imported into the country and phase 3 of the clinical trial of this vaccine will start in the country with an interval of two weeks.

“Of course, as soon as the reports of phase 3 of this vaccine are confirmed, the general vaccination and its mass production will start in Iran and Cuba,” Jahanpour said.

He also added that vaccine of Milad Daru Noor Company, under the supervision of the Ministry of Defense, entitled ‘Fakhra’ vaccine, has entered phase 1 of clinical studies and will be available until late summer.

“The Razi is also going through the last days of phase one and if approved, it will enter phase two,” he said, adding that the vaccine also appears to be available to the public in late summer and early fall.

“In addition to the mentioned vaccines, several research institutes have vaccines in the pre-clinical study stage and even in the clinical stage, and if approved, they will go under mass production next autumn and winter,” Jahanpour said.

Iranian officials have estimated that the COV-Iran vaccine will be prepared for general vaccination in late spring or early summer (June).

Senior member of Iran’s National Task Force for Fighting COVID-19 Minou Mohraz said on Sunday that the indigenized coronavirus vaccine, COV-Iran, which has been developed by the Iranian scientists at the HEIKO based on global standards will be mass-produced early Summer.

“After confirmation of phases two and three, we will reach mass-production in early summer. A huge factory is ready to make vaccines and we will not depend on any country for vaccines then,” Mohraz, also a senior member of the team to assess the efficiency of the Iran-made vaccine, said.

She added that the COV-Iran vaccine is being manufactured based on all international standards and will be effective.

“COV-Iran is the best type of coronavirus vaccine and is effective against the mutated virus originated in Britain  too,” Mohraz said.

Last week, Head of Iran’s Headquarters for Executing the Order of Imam (Khomeini) Coronavirus Research Team Hassan Jalili said that the indigenized coronavirus vaccine, COV-Iran, is capable of controlling the coronavirus completely, even the mutation that originated in Britain.

“The vaccine is fully capable of controlling coronavirus and there is no problem in this regard,” Jalili said last Monday, addressing a ceremony to start the second phase of the clinical trial of COV-Iran vaccine.

He added that nearly 15mln doses of COV-Iran vaccine will be produced by the end of spring.

Jalili expressed the hope that by mass-production of the vaccine, Iran would be the first country in the world to complete vaccination of its population against COVID-19 virus by the year-end.