vaccine Photo: IC

A Chinese inactivated COVID-19 vaccine has started phase-3 clinical trials in Peru, according to the vaccine developer China National Biotec Group (CNBG) affiliated to Sinopharm.

The launching ceremony of the phase-3 clinical trials was held in Beijing Thursday, and the CNBG obtained the certificate of approval for the clinical trials from Peru's Ministry of Health.

This is another important step forward for China's international cooperation in developing a COVID-19 vaccine. The inactivated COVID-19 vaccine received approval for phase-3 clinical trials in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on June 23.

The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase-3 clinical trials in Peru will be jointly conducted by the CNBG and experts from Cayetano Heredia University and the National University of San Marcos in Peru.

Liu Jingzhen, chairman of Sinopharm, said the phase-3 clinical trials of the inactivated vaccine are progressing smoothly. The vaccine has secured approval for phase-3 clinical trials in the UAE and Bahrain, achieving breakthroughs in the number of vaccinations, countries and populations involved.