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China’s COVID-19 vaccine development has entered the “final sprint,” with the country gearing up for mass production of COVID-19 vaccines, according to a National Health Commission (NHC) official.
Evaluating a vaccine requires a series of comprehensive indicators, of which safety, efficacy, accessibility and affordability are the most important, said Zheng Zhongwei, an NHC official.
China has taken five technology approaches in COVID-19 vaccine development, with 15 vaccines entering clinical trials, of which five are in phase 3 clinical trials.
China is scientifically and rigorously promoting phase 3 clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines and conducting review and approval in strict compliance with internationally recognized laws, regulations, and technical standards to ensure vaccines are safe, effective, and can stand the test of time, according to Zheng.
The five vaccines in the phase 3 clinical trials include two inactivated vaccines developed by the Sinopharm-affiliated China National Biotec Group, an inactivated vaccine developed by Sinovac Biotech, an adenovirus vector vaccine developed by the Academy of Military Sciences and CanSino Biologics. Inc., and a recombinant subunit vaccine jointly developed by Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Since the epidemic has been effectively controlled in China, the country no longer has the conditions to conduct phase 3 clinical trials. These are being carried out abroad, which also brings some difficulties and challenges, according to Zheng.
China granted the emergency use of COVID-19 vaccines in June.
