China’s Sinopharm and CanSino Biologics Apply for Public Use Authorization of Their COVID-19 Vaccines

Sinopharm, a unit of China National Pharmaceutical Group, and Chinese company CanSino Biologics have applied for public use of their COVID-19 vaccines in China. If approved, China would have four approved vaccines that were developed domestically.

No vaccines from Western countries have been approved in China.

Citing interim analysis of late-stage clinical trial data only, Wuhan Institute of Biological Products, a Sinopharm affiliate, reported this week that its two-shot COVID-19 vaccine has an efficacy rate of 72.5 percent. Under an emergency vaccination program started over the summer, this vaccine has already been administered to people who are at a high risk for infection. It is in phase 3 trials, as is another candidate from Sinopharm that got public use approval in December after it had already been in use on an emergency basis by healthcare workers and employees of state-owned businesses who needed to travel in the course of their jobs.

Also this week, CanSino Biologics announced that its one-shot COVID-19 vaccine candidate had a success rate of 68.8 percent at preventing all symptoms and 95.5 percent efficacy at preventing severe disease two weeks following vaccination. The company also only shared interim analysis of data from its trial. After a single dose, the company said its vaccine was 65.3 percent effective at preventing all symptomatic cases and 90.1 percent effective at preventing severe disease 28 days after a single dose.

CanSinoBIO’s vaccine has garnered Emergency Use Authorization in Pakistan and Mexico. In addition, in 2020 it was approved for use among Chinese military personnel.

A COVID-19 vaccine made by Chinese company Sinovac Biotech was granted public use approval in China earlier this month. It’s already being used in Brazil, Indonesia and Turkey.