In a study with 4,000 participants, the vaccine showed 85.3 percent effectiveness 14 to 28 days after the booster shot.
China approved the first domestically developed mRNA vaccine against COVID-19its maker said on Wednesday, months after easing strict regulations no-COVID regulation caused a spike in cases.
The vaccine, developed by CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd, has been approved by Beijing’s health regulator for “emergency use,” the company said in a statement on Wednesday.
It showed high effectiveness in a trial in which it was used as a booster shot to people who had already received other vaccines, the company added without providing further details.
China, whose domestically produced vaccines are deemed less effective than Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech’s mRNA vaccines, has been racing to develop a vaccine using messenger RNA (mRNA) technology since early 2020. .
Whereas traditional vaccines use weakened or inactivated germs to prepare the body for a future attack of the real virus, mRNA deploys fragments of genetic material that carry instructions tells the body’s cells how to make protein – in this case, a protein spike in the body. coronavirus causes COVID.
The body’s immune system then activates antibodies to fight that spike protein, getting it ready when the coronavirus actually invades.
The long-awaited approval
The long-awaited approval comes as the number of infections has plummeted across China since the country abruptly lifted strict “COVID-free” restrictions in December, prompting Sales prospects for the newly approved vaccine are moderate.
However, the scientists say it will give China one more option to tackle future outbreaks and provide a basis for development against emerging variants.
News of China’s first successful mRNA vaccine did not generate much buzz on social media in the country on Wednesday, as the country returned to normal and its borders reopened.
Its top leaders claim a “Decided Victory” through COVID last month.
CSPC says its vaccine trials have shown significantly lower side effects in the elderly than in adults, spurring China’s efforts to protect vulnerable elderly populations. damage.
The company says its independently developed SYS6006 mRNA vaccine targets several major Omicron variants and its booster dose shows good neutralizing efficacy against Omicron BA.5, BF subvariants. 7, BQ.1.1., XBB.1.5 and CH.1.1. in clinical trials.
In a study of 4,000 participants from December 10 to January 18 when China was experiencing a surge in infections, the vaccine showed 85.3% effectiveness after 14 to 28 days. after booster injection.
CSPC did not say how many doses it plans to produce. It says the vaccine can be stored at 2 to 8 C (35.6 degrees to 46.4 degrees F) for a long time.
The company won emergency approval for clinical trials of the mRNA injection last April, around the same time as CanSino, another China-based company that was testing the booster shot. Omicron mRNA.
