During a video conference on 23 June, between Abu Dhabi and Beijing, UAE health officials announced the COVID-19 inactivated vaccine trial. This is the world's first such trial and is in its 3rd phase.

This initiative is supported by the UAE's top leadership to combat the COVID pandemic. It enables a cooperation agreement between a Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinopharm China National Biotec Group (CNBG) and Abu Dhabi-based Group 42 (G42). G42 is a leading AI and cloud computing company. The Abu Dhabi-based company will lead the clinical trials in the UAE. It would be carried out under the supervision of Abu Dhabi's Health Department.

The meeting was joined by UAE's Health Minister and other health officials from Abu Dhabi. Ni Jian, the Chinese ambassador to the Emirates, also joined the meeting.

Top management leaders from Sinopharm were present and participated in the meeting. Chinese medical officials also participated in the conference from Beijing and Wuhan.

The UAE Minister of Health emphasized the need to work together, between governments, with the private sector, and work on a joint program to combat Novel Coronavirus. The Minister added that his government welcomes innovative ways and individual contributors to work with the UAE to mitigate the COOVID crisis.

The clinical trial process runs into three phases. In the first stage, analysis is done on the safety of the vaccine. The second phase studies immunogenicity and uses immunization on a limited number of volunteers. In the final stage, the medicine's safety and effectiveness are tried on larger sample size. When the results are positive in all three phases, the vaccine can enter commercial-scale manufacturing.

Phase I and II trials for Sinopharm CNBG inactivated vaccine has mostly been successful.

This collaboration between Group 42 and Sinopharm CNBG aims to develop a vaccine by the end of 2020 or early 2021.

This step is one of the critical actions taken by the UAE to help fight COVID. This step will also enhance the country's capabilities to focus more on medical and healthcare R&D. Such initiatives will also engage local capacity building and enable the Emirati society to grow into a knowledge-based economy.

WAM