SVA news-Sinovac Receives Government Funding for Pandemic Flu Vaccine Research and Development
Friday December 9, 8:13 am ET
BEIJING, Dec. 9 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Sinovac Biotech Ltd. (Amex: SVA - News) announced it has received RMB7,000,000 (USD$867,000) from China's Ministry of Science and Technology for the preclinical trials R&D of its proprietary Pandemic flu vaccine (Panflu(TM)) for humans.
Since April 2004, Sinovac has received over USD$1,000,000 from different departments of Chinese government for its pandemic flu vaccine R&D. This government funding to Sinovac, more than any other vaccine project for its study in preclinical stage to date, is expected to continue.
This work has a high priority, because of a possible flu pandemic. Most health officials estimate a flu pandemic would last a year or more, and millions of lives would be at risk. One of the most effective countermeasures against pandemic flu is to manufacture mass quantities of vaccines as quickly as possible.
The Chinese government holds great expectations for Sinovac's successful development of a safe and efficacious pandemic flu vaccine for humans. Sinovac's goal is to contribute to the Chinese and international public health emergency.
Sinovac CEO and Director, Mr. Weidong Yin commented, "We are moving quickly in the face of a possible pandemic, but not cutting corners on safety. Everyone here at Sinovac takes very seriously, their commitment towards global health, while providing returns to our investors. We also work together to boost global capacity for pandemic flu vaccine."
Sinovac's vaccine includes an adjuvant (aluminum) to boost the immune response. By increasing the immune response, smaller doses of vaccine are necessary; making it possible to produce more doses quickly. |
