(Reuters) – China was at the forefront of the global race to develop coronavirus vaccines with the most candidates in the late stages of trials earlier this year, and its first approval of a homemade shot for the general public took place on Thursday, but with no detailed effectiveness data.
The following is what we know about China’s vaccine development, efficacy data, and timeline for approval.
WHAT IS THE MOST ADVANCED?
Five vaccines from Sinovac Biotech, China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm), CanSinoBIO and the Chinese Academy of Sciences are in late-stage clinical trials. None of them disclosed detailed effectiveness data.
Authorities on Thursday approved a vaccine developed by Sinopharm’s subsidiary in Beijing, a day after the developer said the interim analysis of the Phase 3 investigation showed 79.34% efficacy, without providing details.
The efficacy reading is lower than the 86% rate for the same vaccine announced by the United Arab Emirates on December 9, based on preliminary data. [L1N2JA06X]
A manager of Sinopharm said on Thursday that detailed data would be released later without giving a specific timeline.
Sinovac’s candidate also showed divergent efficiencies. Data from a late-stage CoronaVac survey in Turkey showed a success rate of 91.25%, while researchers in Brazil said the effectiveness was between 50% and 90%.
Brazil expects to release CoronaVac’s effectiveness data by January 7.
CanSinoBIO plans to submit clinical trial results for the vaccine to Mexican authorities next week, a top Mexican health official said.
HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE DISAPPOINTED?
Although China has been slower than several other countries to approve COVID-19 vaccines, it has vaccinated its citizens for months with three different shots being given late stages.
China launched an emergency use program in July targeting essential workers and others at high risk for infection, administering more than 4.5 million doses of Sinopharm’s two vaccines and Sinovac’s CoronaVac.
This has increased the program over the past month in anticipation of greater transmission risks during the winter.
The South China Morning Post reported that China would vaccinate up to 50 million people before the lunar New Year holiday in mid-February.
China has also approved a CanSinoBIO vaccine for military use and the vaccine has been given to about 40,000 to 50,000 people, a CanSinoBIO manager said on November 28.
WHICH TECHNOLOGY IS USED?
The Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines are based on traditional technology that uses inactivated or dead viruses, which cannot replicate in human cells, to elicit an immune response.
The overall incidence of the side effects of COVID-19 shots is similar to that of other inactivated vaccines, and the incidence of relatively serious adverse effects such as allergies is about two in a million, said Zeng Yixin, official of the national health administration, said Thursday. .
WHO BUYS CHINS ‘BOSS?
The United Arab Emirates became the first country to introduce a Chinese vaccine to the public this month.
Pakistan on Thursday announced a 1.2 million dose purchase agreement with Sinopharm.
Sinovac’s CoronaVac shot has been reported by Brazil, Indonesia, Turkey, Chile and Singapore. The company is also in talks with Malaysia and the Philippines.
CanSinoBIO has a supply contract with Mexico.
President Xi Jinping has promised to make China’s vaccines a global public benefit.
(Reporting by Miyoung Kim and Roxanne Liu; Editing by Robert Birsel)