First glimpse of UAE-made Hayat-Vax shots rolling off production line

Footage from Ras Al Khaimah's Julphar pharmaceutical plant shows fast progress as UAE produces China's Sinopharm shots

A technician oversees the production of the UAE's version of the Sinopharm vaccine - named Hayat-Vax - at drug maker Julphar's plant in Ras Al Khaimah. All photos are screengrabs of a video courtesy of G42 Healthcare / Julphar

This video grab shows the Hayat-Vax being boxed up. Each packet contains one vial of the vaccine, which is identical to the Sinopharm vaccine that was made in Beijing and approved in December

Hayat-Vax will be made in Ras Al Khaimah and later in a purpose-built facility in Abu Dhabi's Kizad industrial zone

For now, production of Hayat-Vax will take place in Ras Al Khaimah's Julphar drug plant. It is capable of producing about two million doses per month

There is plans to build a dedicated vaccine plant in Abu Dhabi's Kizad industrial zone later in 2021

A video shows the production of Hayat-Vax in Ras Al Khaimah

The deal to produce Sinopharm in the Emirates will allow the country to rapidly ship doses to countries, particularly in the developing world

Sinopharm can be stored in a normal fridge, unlike other vaccines, meaning it is well-suited for use in the developing world

The first UAE-made Covid-19 vaccines are seen rolling off a production line in new images.

Hundreds of vials are seen being processed at Emirati drug maker Julphar's vaccine plant in Ras Al Khaimah.

Earlier on Monday, the companies behind the operation said they had already began making the Sinopharm vaccine under the brand name Hayat-Vax. Hayat means 'life' in Arabic.

On Sunday night, the UAE and China agreed a deal to permit Abu Dhabi's Group 42 and Julphar to manufacture the vaccine, which Sinopharm says has a 79 per cent efficacy rate.

On Monday, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, spoke at a virtual conference hosted by the Hope Consortium, an Abu Dhabi-based logistics collective set up to deliver vaccines globally.

Sheikh Abdullah said the country would play its role in the Covax drive to provide affordable doses to the developing world.

"We believe that every person has the right to obtain the vaccine without discrimination," he said.

Bottles move along a production line at Julphar's manufacturing facility in Ras Al Khaimah in this file image. The company is already producing the Sinopharm vaccine and will be part of a plan to build a dedicated plant in Abu Dhabi's Kizad zone. Pawan Singh / The National

Inside view of the manufacturing area at Gulf Pharmaceutical Industries in Ras Al Khaimah, in a file image. Pawan Singh / The National

Staff from Abu Dhabi's G42 undergo testing at the company's Biogenix lab in Masdar City. The firm outlined a plan to create 200 million doses of China's Sinopharm vaccine under the name Hayat-Vax, at a new and dedicated plant in Abu Dhabi's Kizad. Victor Besa / The National

Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, principle investigator of Phase 3 clinical trials of Sinopharm and Ashish Koshy, CEO of G42 Healthcare, speak to The National in January. The successful trials paved the way for the vaccine to be approved, and now produced, in the UAE. Victor Besa / The National

Ashish Koshy said the UAE wants to ensure that vaccines are made from start to finish in the emirates. Vidhyaa Chandramohan for The National

An Abu Dhabi resident waves as he is processed for a PCR test at G42 Healthcare's Biogenix lab in Masdar City. The company, together with Ras Al Khaimah drug maker Julphar, have begun manufacturing China's Sinopharm vaccine in the UAE. Victor Besa / The National

A healthcare worker holds up saliva sample vials at the Biogenix lab at G42 in Masdar City. Victor Besa / The National

G42 has branched out into testing, vaccine production and vaccine trials, among other fields. Victor Besa / The National