KUALA LUMPUR: Ho Wah Genting Bhd's (HWGB) joint venture (JV) partner, US-based E-MO Biology Inc (EBI), has obtained approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct phase IV clinical trial to use polio virus vaccines (PVV) for Covid-19 pandemic and other relevant diseases.
HWGB chief executive officer Datuk Aaron Lim said with the FDA approval, the company hope the repurposing of the proven polio virus vaccines can fast track the Covid-19 vaccine development to save lives, as the situation now is dire.
"Once the clinical trial is proven that the polio vaccines is effective for prevention of Covid-19, we will start to mass produce the vaccine to be distributed across South East Asia to help for the dire situation," he said in a statement.
EBI, the JV partner of HWGB's wholly-owned subsidiary, HWGB Biotech Sdn Bhd (HWGB Biotech), has been actively involved in
the research and use of PVV for the prevention of the infectious disease such as Covid-19.
The Phase IV clinical trial, also known as post marketing study, is conducted upon FDA approval.
The objective is to collect additional information about side-effects and safety, long-term risks and potential benefits, and/or how well the vaccine works when used widely on several thousand people.
It can be used to fast-track a vaccine for emergency use.
As a sponsor of EBI, HWGB Biotech will invest US$1 million and will be entitled to 40 per cent of the total net profit.
Furthermore, HWGB Biotech will have exclusive rights for the production, distribution and the sale of the repurposed vaccine based on the polio vaccine for use in preventing Covid-19 infections in Southeast Asia countries.