TURKEY’S domestically developed Covid-19 vaccine, Turkovac, is currently in mass production after it received approval for emergency following efficacy studies on volunteers.

The country took action when its first Covid-19 case was reported in March last year and launched studies to develop its first vaccine to combat the outbreak, reported Anadolu Agency.

The shot is among other vaccine studies supported by the Presidency of Turkish Health Institutes and Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, and is the shot that showed the fastest progress. The inactive vaccine is developed by Erciyes University.

Turkovac began development in April last year, and animal trials and preclinical studies were conducted and concluded in October that year.

Phase 1 studies started the following month, with the vaccine administered to 44 volunteers. Phase 2 started on February 10 this year, with 250 volunteers. Both phases showed positive data, prompting authorities to launch Phase 3.

Phase 3 saw the vaccine’s first dose administered in a programme on June 22, when President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the name of the vaccine as Turkovac.

Phase 3 also saw thousands of volunteers who have not contracted the coronavirus or received vaccination given the local shot.

Turkovac was administered as a booster shot in October. Volunteers who have received two Sinovac vaccine doses were given Sinovac or Turkovac depending on their personal preference.

On November 25, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said authorities have applied for approval of emergency for Turkovac. The Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency granted the application this month.

Koca had yesterday said Turkovac’s mass production has been launched.

Turkey is now the ninth country in the world that is capable of producing its own Covid-19 vaccine. Turkovac’s common use is expected to start before the end of this year. – Bernama, December 23, 2021.