Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan held an online working session with France’s Xenothera company on cooperation to conduct the third phase of clinical trial of Xenothera-developed XAV-19 COVID-19 treatment drug and the transfer of XAV-19 production technology to Vietnam.

Medical staff give COVID-19 treatment to patients (Photo: VNA)

The session drew leaders and experts of many departments of the Vietnamese Health Ministry, as well as Xenothera President Odile Duvaux and CEO Bernard Vanhove.

According to the Ministry of Health, XAV-19 is a COVID-19 treatment drug based on polyclonal antibodies that targets COVID-19 patients with moderate conditions.

The first and second phases of XAV-19 clinical trials’ results showed that the drug is effective and safe in preventing the virus to develop, neutralizing the virus and reducing inflammation in patients.

The third phase of XAV-19 clinical trials is being conducted in some European countries.

Odile Duvaux said that her company is willing to cooperate with Vietnam in implementing the third phase of the trials, and to engage in further discussions on the transfer of the drug production technology to Viet Nam.

In May this year, the Ministry of Health and Solidarity of France ordered 30,000 doses of XAV-19 from Xenothera.

Deputy Minister Thuan affirmed Viet Nam’s readiness to cooperate with Xenothera in implementing the third phase clinical trials of XAV-19 and receiving technical transfer from the firm.

Following the working session, a Vietnamese firm discussed with Xenothera specific contents in preparation for the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperating in the third-phase clinical trials of XAV-19 and technology transfer from the French firm.

Source: VNA