- Advertisement -
World

Malaysia to join Sinovac trial on vaccine jabs for children

The global trial will enrol 14,000 participants across Chile, the Philippines, Malaysia, Kenya and South Africa.

Reuters
1 minute read
Share
China's Sinovac Biotech will trial its Covid-19 vaccine in children and adolescents in a global Phase III study involving 14,000 participants including in Malaysia. Photo: Bernama
China's Sinovac Biotech will trial its Covid-19 vaccine in children and adolescents in a global Phase III study involving 14,000 participants including in Malaysia. Photo: Bernama

China’s Sinovac Biotech will trial its Covid-19 vaccine in children and adolescents in South Africa as part of a global Phase III study, Sinovac and local partner Numolux Group said on Thursday.

The study will evaluate the efficacy, immunogenicity and safety of the CoronaVac vaccine on children and adolescents aged six months to 17 years, the firms said in a statement.

The global trial will enrol 14,000 participants across Chile, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Kenya including 2,000 in South Africa, they said.

The trial has been approved by South African drugs regulator Sahpra, and the first child will be vaccinated at the MeCRU Clinical Research Unit based at the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University on Friday.

“The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of two doses of CoronaVac against confirmed symptomatic Covid-19 cases in children and adolescents… efficacy will also be evaluated against hospitalisation and severe Covid-19,” Sinovac and Numolux said.