Chinese firms are ramping up research and development on the COVID-19 vaccine

Chinese pharmaceutical companies are ramping up efforts in the development of vaccines for COVID-19, raising hopes for an ultimate solution to defeat the contagion.

Industry insiders said that their efforts and achievements have not only demonstrated Chinese vaccine makers' increased product research and development capabilities over the past few decades, but also underpinned China's open and inclusive attitude toward vaccine development, and its commitment to making COVID-19 vaccines a global public good to benefit people around the world.

Statistics from World Health Organization showed that a total of 44 candidate vaccines worldwide had entered clinical evaluations as of Oct 19, among which 10 were at the final phase of testing.

China currently has 13 vaccine candidates in clinical trials. Among these are three inactivated vaccines and one adenovirus vector vaccine in phase-three trials overseas.

One of the inactivated vaccines is from Beijing-based drugmaker Sinovac Biotech Ltd. China National Biotech Group, a unit of State-owned pharmaceutical giant China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm), is developing the other two inactivated candidates.

The Beijing Institute of Biotechnology and biotech company CanSino Biologics are jointly developing the adenovirus vector vaccine.