If successful, the potential COVID-19 vaccine being developed by the University of Oxford will be manufactured and distributed in Thailand and Southeast Asia, the UK government announced on Monday
LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th October, 2020) If successful, the potential COVID-19 vaccine being developed by the University of Oxford will be manufactured and distributed in Thailand and Southeast Asia, the UK government announced on Monday.
According to the statement, the Thai Ministry of public health and the Thailand-based companies Siam Bioscience and SCG signed an agreement in Bangkok with the British-Swedish pharmaceutical AstraZeneca, which is working with Oxford University to make the vaccine globally available.
"Defeating COVID-19 is - and needs to be - a global endeavour. The work of scientists, multilaterals and business as well as governments. It is a pleasure to witness the start of this critical partnership between Thailand's Ministry of Public Health, Siam BioScience, SCG and AstraZeneca," the statement quotes UK ambassador to Thailand, Brian Davison, as saying.
The announcement did not give details about the financial terms of the deal, or how many doses would be distributed in Thailand, but claimed that "large scale manufacturing at Siam Bioscience will strengthen broad, equitable and timely access to the potential vaccine in Southeast Asia and beyond."
The vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca in partnership with the Oxford University's Jenner Institute and the Oxford Vaccine Group is in phase 3 trials, which is the final stage before safety and efficacy data can be submitted to health regulators for approval.
More than 50,000 people worldwide have been taking part in the clinical studies to see whether the candidate vaccine, known as AZD1222, can develop an immune response to COVID-19.
