The German firm reported in a public statement dated in Panama City that it has already enrolled the first participants in this clinical study and that it is seeking a total of 3,000 volunteers in the Central American country.

Dr. Xavier Saez-Llorens, specialist in infectology and research leader in Panama, indicated that it is of great help that healthy Panamanians aged 18 years or older participate in this study "to be able to return to 'normality' faster and better. as soon as possible working together "to stop the pandemic, which has left 5,672 deaths in this country.

He explained that around 36,500 people worldwide will participate in this double-blind study, half will receive the vaccine, the other half a placebo.

The vaccine will be administered in two doses four weeks apart.

In total, according to the expert, "the participants will be followed for more than two years in order to determine long-term safety, in addition to efficacy," and others will be examined in more detail, requiring more frequent visits to the site of the study.

VACCINE BENEFITS

Among the benefits of the CureVac vaccine, its ease of storage and transport stands out, in addition to using mRNA technology that instructs the human body to activate its own defense mechanism.

The consequence is that this vaccine can remain stable for at least three months at refrigerator temperature, which makes its use "easier", compared to those of other firms that must be stored at much lower temperatures, according to the German laboratory CureVac.

In addition, he noted that the multinational pharmaceutical company Bayer announced its collaboration with CureVac in the development, distribution and operations in key territories, of the candidate vaccine CVnCoV.

Panama participates in a phase 2 study to verify the clinical effectiveness of a vaccine from the German laboratory CureVac.

The Center for Vaccines and Clinical Research (Cevaxin), with the Institute for Scientific Research and High Technology Services (INDICASAT-AIP), is part of the COVID-19 Vaccine Research Consortium, which is endorsed by the National Secretariat of Science, Technology and Innovation (SENACYT) aims to channel and prioritize initiatives to develop a vaccine against this disease in Panama.

Cevaxin will begin the study in phase 3, approved by the National Research Bioethics Committee and the Ministry of Health (Minsa), in which INDICASAT-AIP will participate.

The CureVac vaccine is part of the World Health Organization (WHO) Covax initiative, designed to ensure equitable global access to vaccines for COVID-19.