The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has officially announced the manufacturing of the Covid-19 vaccine, Hayat-Vax, in the country. The latest venture is a partnership between Sinopharm CNBG, one of the leading pharmaceuticals in the world and G42, a pioneering technology company in Abu Dhabi. The announcement was made in the presence of H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Wang Yi, State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, during a ministerial event in Abu Dhabi, reported Emirates News Agency.
According to the publication, the occasion also served to launch a purpose-built research and development hub for life sciences, biotechnology and vaccine production – the first-of-its-kind in the Arab world – that is being set up in KIZAD, the integrated trade, logistics and industrial hub in Abu Dhabi. Last year, G42 and Sinopharm CNBG successfully collaborated on conducting 4Humanity, the world’s first phase III clinical trial of inactivated vaccines across the Pan Arab region with over 43,000 volunteers participating from over 125 nationalities. The new vaccine plant in KIZAD will become operational this year and over its phased development will have a production capacity of 200 million doses per annum across three filling lines and five automated packaging lines. The JV is already producing Hayat-Vax with its partner, Julphar in the UAE with an initial capacity of 2 million doses per month.
His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said, “The advancement in Life Sciences and Vaccine Manufacturing in our country is UAE’s contribution towards global efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic that has affected the whole world,” emphasising that “the UAE, with the guidance of its wise leadership, believes in the importance of strengthening collective international action.” Attending the ceremony over an online call, Liu Jingzhen, Chairman of Sinopharm, said, “When Covid-19 began to spread rampantly last year, the UAE and its leading technology company G42 explored the possibility of hosting the clinical trials of a COVID-19 vaccine in the country.”
He continued, “Sinopharm has undertaken the mission of fighting this pandemic and thanks to the close collaboration with the UAE, Sinopharm’s vaccine has been now administered to millions of people in the country, the region, and the world in a fundamental step towards defeating this virus. We are proud to partner with G42 in this new Joint Venture that will play a vital role in combatting COVID-19 globally, making an indelible contribution to the health of our communities.” Echoing the sentiments, Mr Peng Xiao, CEO of G42, stated, “The launch of the vaccine manufacturing capabilities in the UAE is a momentous step in the fight against COVID-19. We are grateful to the shared vision of the UAE and China, their true partnership and collaboration to make this a reality. This initiative in the UAE is a strategic advancement to future proof the population health of our nations. Our JV is also actively looking to bring our capabilities to new markets around the world.”
