It is a matter of time before other vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 are licensed, as well as therapeutic approaches to prevent it. COVID-19, stated to KYPE the Deputy Director of Pharmaceutical Services of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Elena Panagiotopoulou, who stated that Cyprus participates in the immediate procurement procedures and as soon as they are licensed will receive them immediately.
According to Ms. Panagiotopoulou, there is intense mobility both in terms of vaccines, but also in therapeutic approaches, noting that "we are close to licensing vaccines" and it is expected that their supplies will begin soon.
The Valneva vaccine in December
Invited by KYPE to refer to the licensing of the approaching vaccines, Dr. Panagiotopoulou said that the Valneva vaccine is expected to be licensed in December 2021, noting that this preparation is based on an inactivated, adjuvant vector of the virus, a more traditional form of vaccine than mRNA or the adenovirus vaccine.
It is noted that a similar technology is used in the Chinese vaccines of the companies Sinopharm and Sinovac.
On October 31 the evaluation for the pill by MSD
He also referred to the MSD coronavirus pill, the evaluation of which begins on October 31. As Dr. Panagiotopoulou "this is an antiviral preparation, which is expected to have an impact".
In addition, it stated that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) had begun evaluating an application for extension of vaccine use COVID-19 of BioNTech / Pfizer, Comirnaty, in children ages 5 to 11, and noted that the EMA's Committee for Human Drugs (CHMP) has launched a rolling review of Evusheld (also known as AZD7442), a combination of two monoclonal antibodies (tixagevimab). and cilgavimab), developed by AstraZeneca AB, for its prevention COVID-19 in adults.
He further added that EMA ended the rolling review of CVnCoV, the CureVac AG vaccine for COVID-19, after informing the company to the Agency about its withdrawal from the process.
In addition, Ms. Panagiotopoulou said that the EMA began evaluating a marketing authorization application for the combination of Ronapreve monoclonal antibodies (casirivimab / imdevimab), explaining that Ronapreve, co-developed by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Roche Registration GmbH, is intended for its treatment COVID-19 in adults and adolescents 12 years of age and older who do not require adjunctive oxygen therapy and who are at increased risk of developing serious COVID 19, as well as for its prevention COVID-19 in adults and adolescents 12 years of age and older.
Cyprus participates in direct procurement procedures
Answering a relevant question, Ms. Panagiotopoulou said that there is "intense mobility both in terms of vaccines, but also in therapeutic approaches", to note that Cyprus participates in direct procurement procedures and as soon as they are licensed and supplied to We will have Europe too ".
He assured that Cyprus is not deprived of timely supply, like other countries, explaining that "we participate in the process of direct supply of both vaccines and medicines licensed by Coreper".