China to make R&D for COVID-19 vaccine its top priority in next stage: Official

Outlining the next stage of the country’s COVID-19 response, senior Chinese minister said that China will make the research and development (R&D) of COVID-19 vaccine its top priority. China’s science and technology minister Wang Zhigan told a news conference that R&D for COVID-19 vaccines will mainly come from five technical routes including inactivated vaccine and adenovirus vector vaccine.

Wang also emphasised on the accelerated development of antibody-drug in the next phase with a focus on the high success rate of entering into clinical trials and mass production. He also reiterated China’s commitment to make its COVID-19 vaccine a global public good once it is ready for application after successful research and clinical trials.

Potential vaccine

Last month, a Chinese pharmaceutical firm has reportedly verified the safety of its potential vaccine after phase 2 clinical trials. According to a Chinese daily, Sinovac Biotech Ltd has taken another step towards the trial production of the vaccine, which is expected in July, and emergency use.

Sinovac Biotech, the first company in the world to market H1N1 vaccine, is one of two COVID-19 inactivated-vaccine developers to have received the approval for clinical trials in China. Last week, the company published the preclinical study on animals for its vaccine candidate against COVID-19.

In April, the firm received the approval to conduct phase I and phase II study on its inactivated vaccine candidate against COVID-19 in China. The pharma company had commenced the phase I trial and administered the drug on 144 healthy adults aged 18-59 years.

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Sinovac CEO Weidong Yin said in a statement that the vaccine candidate induced SARS-CoV-2-specific neutralizing antibodies in mice, rats, and non-human primates, specifically the rhesus macaque. The results showed that the vaccine candidate offered safe and complete protection in rhesus macaques against SARS- CoV-2 strains, he added.

“As we begin our phase I trials, we will also accelerate the progress of our research in order to support the worldwide fight against COVID-19. Sinovac remains committed to developing vaccines for global use,” said Weidong.

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(Image credit: AP)