Sinovac’s COVID-19 Vaccine Approved by China for Emergency Use to Vaccinate High-Risk Groups

Sinovac Biotech Ltd.’s (Beijing, China) COVID-19 vaccine candidate CoronaVac has been approved by China for emergency use to vaccinate high-risk groups such as medical staff, according to a report by Reuters.

Out of seven COVID-19 vaccines in the final trial stages globally, four are from China. Since July, China has been reportedly administering experimental COVID-19 vaccines to high-risk groups, and health authorities could expand the emergency use program to prevent any possible outbreaks during the autumn and winter. Recently, Chinese state media had reported that the government had approved two vaccine candidates in June for the emergency use program, but did not identify the vaccines. According to Reuters, China has officially provided little information about the COVID-19 vaccine candidates that have been given to high-risk people under its emergency use program or the number of people who have been vaccinated.

China National Biotec Group (CNBG), a unit of state-owned pharmaceutical giant China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm), also announced on social media that it had obtained emergency use approval for a COVID-19 vaccine candidate, but did not specify which of its two vaccine candidates that are currently in Phase 3 clinical trials.

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