Belarus NAS to make COVID-19 vaccine ready for use by late 2022

By late 2022, the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus plans to transfer the coronavirus vaccine for use – as stated by academician Vladimir Gusakov, the Chairman of the NAS Presidium, BelTA reports

“From the early days of the coronavirus pandemic outbreak, the Academy of Sciences has been actively involved in the process of combating its spread. We have established an interdepartmental council for prevention and development of measures on the NAS basis, and also equipped several laboratories with our own equipment. At the moment, we can say that – in co-operation with the Healthcare Ministry – we have created a vaccine prototype that is now undergoing long-term preclinical tests. Clinical trials are to follow and, by the end of the year, the Belarus-made vaccine is supposed to be ready for use," Mr. Gusakov explained.

The Chairman of the NAS Presidium added that other vaccines are also being developed at the Academy of Sciences, and the country's first virology centre is being established there.

“We produce the latest medicines based on our synthesis and have managed to master production of the drugs that were imported, including for treatment of coronavirus infection. These are antiviral medicines. Due to their high price, they were inaccessible to our consumers but are now much cheaper,” the academician noted.