The world's first WHO-listed Phase III clinical trial of the Covid-19 inactivated vaccine has begun in Abu Dhabi, with Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Hamed, Chairman of the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi, the first to participate in the trial.

He will be followed by Acting Undersecretary Dr. Jamal Al Kaabi, highlighting Abu Dhabi's commitment to finding a global cure.

The trial is a collaboration between Abu Dhabi-based company G42 Healthcare and Chinese pharmaceutical group Sinopharm under the administration of the Department of Health and the Ministry of Health.

It was inspired by the UAE leadership's vision to overcome the pandemic through a global collaborative effort.

The aim of the partnership is to help provide quick access to the vaccine for UAE residents, with manufacturing taking place in Abu Dhabi.

Phase III trials will be open to individual volunteers aged between 18 and 60, and living in Abu Dhabi or Al Ain. The trials will last for 3-6 months.

They follow the success of the Phase I and Phase II trials conducted in China, which resulted in 100 per cent of volunteers generating antibodies after two doses in 28 days.

The UAE was the preferred choice for Phase III trials owing to the diverse population of 200+ nationalities. This allows for research across multiple ethnicities, thereby increasing its feasibility for global application eventually.

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