New Iranian-made COVID-19 vaccine unveiled in Tehran

Saman Kojouri

Press TV, Tehran

Iran has unveiled its fourth domestically-developed COVID-19 vaccine. The new jab, called Fakhra, has been developed by the Defense Ministry. It is named to commemorate the head of the ministry’s Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who was assassinated in November 2020.

The first phase of the human trial of the vaccine kicked off in the presence of Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami and Health Minister Saeed Namaki. The first volunteer was the son of Martyr Fakhrizadeh.

According to the developers of the vaccine, its safety and effectiveness have been proven, following laboratory tests on more than 650 animals from different species of mice, rabbits, guinea pigs and monkeys.

In addition to Fakhra, Iran has developed three other vaccines which are passing their human trials. The COVID-19 jabs include Coviran Barekat developed by experts at the Headquarters for Executing the Order of Imam Khomeini, Razi COV-Pars developed by the Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, and finally, Soberana 2 which is the result of the cooperation of Iran’s Pasteur Institute and Cuba’s Finlay Vaccine Institute.

Officials hope the beginning of the human trial of yet another domestic inoculation would mean Iran soon becomes a big producer of Covid-19 jabs in the world.

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