Turkey completes phase-1 studies of ‘domestic’ COVID-19 vaccine

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The Vaccine Research and Development Center of Erciyes University has announced that the phase-1 second dose studies of its novel coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine have been completed. Sharing a brief message on Twitter, Erciyes University President Prof. Mustafa Çalış has said:

"The phase-1 second dose trials of our domestic vaccine developed by our university against COVID-19 and supported by Ministry of Health have been completed today. No serious side effects have been detected. If all goes well, we plan to begin the phase-2 trials by the end of this month."

Covid-19'a karşı Üniversitemiz tarafından geliştirilen ve Sağlık Bakanlığı tarafından desteklenen yerli aşımızın Faz-1 ikinci dozlaması bugün tamamlandı ve ciddi hiçbir yan etki görülmedi. Herşey yolunda giderse inşallah bu ay sonuna kadar Faz-2'ye geçmeyi planlamaktayız.

— Prof. Dr. Mustafa Çalış (@RektorProfCalis) December 14, 2020

As part of the vaccine research carried out by the Vaccine Research and Development Center of Erciyes University in eastern Turkey, volunteers received the first dose on November 5, 2020 and the second dose on November 26 as part of the phase 1 clinical trials.

'I hope we will make it ready by April'

Addressing the MPs during the budget talks at the General Assembly of the Parliament on Saturday (December 12), Health Minister Fahrettin Koca also announced that the phase two trials of Turkey's domestic COVID-19 vaccine would begin on December 25.

"In parallel with the world, 16 different vaccine studies are carried out in our country. One of them has completed the preclinical period and started human trials. Phase two study will begin on December 25," he told the lawmakers during the 2021 budget debate in parliament.

Koca said that the vaccine's production for phase two started on Wednesday. "Apart from our vaccination studies, we are also to access safe and efficient vaccines made elsewhere in the world," he said and added, "I hope we will make our domestic COVID-19 vaccine by April."

The ERUCOV-VAC vaccine is being developed at the Erciyes University in the central Kayseri province with support from Turkey's Institutes of Health Administration (TUSEB). (DŞ/SD)