Iran Issues Permission for Emergency Use of Homegrown COVID-19 Vaccine

Iran's Health Ministry has permitted the emergency use of the homegrown COVID-19 vaccine CovIran Barekat, developed by the state-owned Shefa Pharmed Industrial Group.

CovIran Barekat has successfully been tested on animals and has been approved by the Iran Food and Drug Administration for testing on humans. Phase 2/3 (II/III) clinical trial began on 13 March 2021, and the first participants were inoculated on March 29.

Shefa Pharmed Industrial Group, which has developed the vaccine, is affiliated with the Execution of Imam Khomeini’s Order (EIKO) Headquarters, also known as Setad.

Dr. Minoo Mohraz has led the vaccine development project. Mohraz is a physician, scientist, and AIDS specialist, and a Full Professor (Emeritus) of Infectious Diseases at Tehran University of Medical Sciences and head of the Iranian Centre for HIV/AIDS. Dr. Mohraz has also served within the World Health Organization as an expert on HIV/AIDS in Iran and the Eastern Mediterranean.

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