On January 22, 2023 it was reported that China National Biotec Group (CNBG), a subsidiary of China National Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd (Sinopharm) had received regulatory approval by their State Drug Administration to begin clinical trials of China’s first mRNA COVID-19 vaccine targeting specifically the Omicron variants. [1]
Jia Weiguo, chief scientist at CNBG’s Virogin Biotech Company, based in Shanghai, says the new advanced mRNA-LNP encapsulation technology “has proved effective in preventing infection in animal trials”!
Virogin, “has built a research and development platform, as well as production lines with an annual capacity of 2 billion doses of mRNA vaccine. They can quickly produce mRNA vaccines to deal with pandemics”. “China’s annual COVID-19 vaccine production capacity has reached 7 billion doses”
Gao Fu, former head of China’s CDC [and sat on Event 201 panel, etc] “suggested that approval procedures for COVID-19 vaccines should be similar to those for influenza vaccines”.
The only foreign mRNA vaccines allowed in China are BioNTech doses shipped by Germany late last year and being given to expatriate Germans living there, but Moderna are in talks with China.
Currently global emergency approved vaccines are for Wuhan strain (original) or a bivalent (Wuhan plus and Omicron variant) version, no Omicron only vaccine.