lørdag 17. juli 2021

1.4 billion doses later, China is realizing it may need mRNA COVID vaccines

China is the only major economy in the world not to approve or distribute COVID-19 vaccines that use the mRNA technology proven to be one of the most effective tools in preventing the spread of COVID-19. But China’s mRNA stance may be changing.

On Thursday, Chinese media outlet Caixin reported that Chinese regulators had completed a review of the COVID-19 jab developed by German mRNA vaccine maker BioNTech and distributed locally via China’s Fosun Pharma. Fosun is still awaiting final approval from regulators, but, once approved, Fosun could deploy the 100 million dosesit acquired from BioNTech last December to the Chinese market by the end of 2021.

The approval would also unlock Fosun’s capacity to produce 1 billion more BioNTech shots domestically per year, part of the deal Fosun and BioNTech struck in May to make a new joint venture company in China. The anticipated approval is a long time coming.