We’ll work with scientists on COVID-19 drugs, vaccines, says NAFDAC

*Local vaccine is being developed locally in Africa for Africans, for unveiling in 18 months ─ Medical Specialists

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Expressing its needed support for the development of local content in getting a cure for the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic in the country, Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has assured indigenous scientists of collaboration in the development of drugs or vaccines against the damaging virus.

Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of NAFDAC, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria Tuesday, June 23, in Abuja, FCT, said that the agency would open its doors to the scientists working on a vaccine for the COVID-19 disease.

Adeyeye stated that the regulatory agency’s interventions would allow for documentation of such initiatives for global recording as potential vaccines or drugs that is in process or safety testing.

According to the NAFDAC Director-General, it takes time to develop a vaccine, and NAFDAC will be the first to be informed of any such developments in the country.

“That testing will involve use of the virus and then animals. If all goes well, the researchers will then plan for clinical trial which will take a long time from 18 months to years,” said she.

Report indicates that a team of the Nigerian Universities’ Scientists, under the aegis of COVID-19 Research Group, Friday, June 19 announced the discovery of the vaccine at Adeleke University, in Ede, Osun State.

Dr. Oladipo Kolawole, Leader of the team, said the vaccine was being developed locally in Africa for Africans.

Kolawole, who is a specialist in Medical Virology, Immunology and Bioinformatics, however, said the vaccine would also work for other continents when unveiled.

The group had been working extensively by exploring the SARS-CoV-2 genome from African countries to select the best possible potential vaccine candidates, according to the specialist.

He disclosed that after trying out some selected processes of vaccine development, the researchers were able to choose the best potential vaccine candidates for the SARS-CoV-2 and had made the possible latent vaccine constructs.

Kolawole stated that it would take a minimum of 18 months to unveil the vaccine to the public.