Its Been More than Two Years - China Still Struggling to Produce mRNA Vaccine

[steveluv]

https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/COVID-vaccines/China-s-quest-for-mRNA-vaccine-hits-stumbling-block-in-omicron?utm_campaign=GL_coronavirus_latest&utm_medium=email&utm_source=NA_newsletter&utm_content=article_link&del_type=10&pub_date=20220311150000&seq_num=8&si=44594

China's quest for mRNA vaccine hits stumbling block in omicron
Limited effectiveness of conventional shots puts 'zero-COVID' policy at risk

A medical worker walks past a sign at a coronavirus vaccination site in Beijing.   © Reuters
SHIN WATANABE, Nikkei staff writerMarch 10, 2022 12:01 JST

DALIAN, China -- China continues to struggle in developing a homegrown mRNA vaccine against COVID-19, with its front-runner failing to reach the market by the end of last year as hoped and now showing disappointing results against the highly infectious omicron variant.

The messenger RNA-based ARCoV vaccine candidate developed by Abogen Biosciences, Walvax Biotechnology and the Academy of Military Medical Sciences, now in Phase 3 clinical trials, encountered a snag shown in a paper published last month in the journal Cell Research.

Eight of 11 participants in a Phase 1 early trial who received two doses of ARCoV showed "low" neutralizing antibody activity against omicron. Though the study found that a third dose significantly increased antibody levels in mice, the shot's efficacy against the variant remains in question.

Walvax Vice Chairman Huang Zhen had boasted to Chinese media in July that the vaccine would be out by year-end. But trials continue, and no time frame exists for a release.

China's stumbles in this area could put further strain on the government's strict "zero-COVID" policy as the omicron variant drives a resurgence in cases. The political risk consultancy Eurasia Group in January cited "vaccines with limited effectiveness" as a threat to China's coronavirus strategy.

Chinese state-owned pharmaceutical companies moved quickly on conventional vaccines against COVID-19, rolling out two in early 2021. Both are inactivated vaccines, which use "killed" viruses that cannot infect cells but still can cause an immune response.

Unlike the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, these shots do not need to be kept at ultracold temperatures, enabling China to export them far and wide.

But these inoculations have proven less effective than their mRNA counterparts, eroding trust in Chinese-made shots. A growing number of countries that initially used Chinese vaccines, such as Indonesia, are turning to the U.S. for boosters.

The Pfizer and Moderna inoculations went on the market in late 2020, and are currently being tested against the omicron variant.

Developing mRNA vaccines is no easy task, said Shi Jinjun, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School. Shi said the companies that succeeded have more than a decade of research behind them, and so were well prepared when the coronavirus emerged.

Abogen was established in 2019 by Ying Bo, a former Moderna scientist. The company raised more than $1 billion through November from sources including the SoftBank Vision Fund. But while investors have high hopes for Abogen, it is unclear whether such a young company can meet these expectations.

Sinopharm, one of China's early COVID-19 vaccine creators, broke ground in September on an mRNA vaccine production facility in Shanghai slated to be completed in September of this year, according to local media. Researchers face heavy pressure to advance mRNA shots to mass production and dispel skepticism of Chinese vaccines.
 

[Volvobrick]

面子问题 - thus cannot buy western vaccines. Will be another year of zero covid strategy. 

[Mooose]

50 minutes ago, steveluv said:

https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/COVID-vaccines/China-s-quest-for-mRNA-vaccine-hits-stumbling-block-in-omicron?utm_campaign=GL_coronavirus_latest&utm_medium=email&utm_source=NA_newsletter&utm_content=article_link&del_type=10&pub_date=20220311150000&seq_num=8&si=44594

China's quest for mRNA vaccine hits stumbling block in omicron
Limited effectiveness of conventional shots puts 'zero-COVID' policy at risk

A medical worker walks past a sign at a coronavirus vaccination site in Beijing.   © Reuters
SHIN WATANABE, Nikkei staff writerMarch 10, 2022 12:01 JST

DALIAN, China -- China continues to struggle in developing a homegrown mRNA vaccine against COVID-19, with its front-runner failing to reach the market by the end of last year as hoped and now showing disappointing results against the highly infectious omicron variant.

The messenger RNA-based ARCoV vaccine candidate developed by Abogen Biosciences, Walvax Biotechnology and the Academy of Military Medical Sciences, now in Phase 3 clinical trials, encountered a snag shown in a paper published last month in the journal Cell Research.

Eight of 11 participants in a Phase 1 early trial who received two doses of ARCoV showed "low" neutralizing antibody activity against omicron. Though the study found that a third dose significantly increased antibody levels in mice, the shot's efficacy against the variant remains in question.

Walvax Vice Chairman Huang Zhen had boasted to Chinese media in July that the vaccine would be out by year-end. But trials continue, and no time frame exists for a release.

China's stumbles in this area could put further strain on the government's strict "zero-COVID" policy as the omicron variant drives a resurgence in cases. The political risk consultancy Eurasia Group in January cited "vaccines with limited effectiveness" as a threat to China's coronavirus strategy.

Chinese state-owned pharmaceutical companies moved quickly on conventional vaccines against COVID-19, rolling out two in early 2021. Both are inactivated vaccines, which use "killed" viruses that cannot infect cells but still can cause an immune response.

Unlike the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, these shots do not need to be kept at ultracold temperatures, enabling China to export them far and wide.

But these inoculations have proven less effective than their mRNA counterparts, eroding trust in Chinese-made shots. A growing number of countries that initially used Chinese vaccines, such as Indonesia, are turning to the U.S. for boosters.

The Pfizer and Moderna inoculations went on the market in late 2020, and are currently being tested against the omicron variant.

Developing mRNA vaccines is no easy task, said Shi Jinjun, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School. Shi said the companies that succeeded have more than a decade of research behind them, and so were well prepared when the coronavirus emerged.

Abogen was established in 2019 by Ying Bo, a former Moderna scientist. The company raised more than $1 billion through November from sources including the SoftBank Vision Fund. But while investors have high hopes for Abogen, it is unclear whether such a young company can meet these expectations.

Sinopharm, one of China's early COVID-19 vaccine creators, broke ground in September on an mRNA vaccine production facility in Shanghai slated to be completed in September of this year, according to local media. Researchers face heavy pressure to advance mRNA shots to mass production and dispel skepticism of Chinese vaccines.
 

guess its not so easy .. 

in a way, hats off to pfizer moderna and those who have managed to get their mrna vaccines for us last year .. 

[inlinesix]

12 minutes ago, Volvobrick said:

面子问题 - thus cannot buy western vaccines. Will be another year of zero covid strategy. 

To avoid being "choked in the neck"

[Sosaria]

11 minutes ago, Mooose said:

guess its not so easy .. 

in a way, hats off to pfizer moderna and those who have managed to get their mrna vaccines for us last year .. 

Albeit with some "collateral damage" reported world-wide, but apparently a small price to pay for what's shaping up to be the best option we have now.

[Mooose]

Just now, Sosaria said:

Albeit with some "collateral damage" reported world-wide, but apparently a small price to pay for what's shaping up to be the best option we have now.

true .. usually if its for the better good then we should be grateful ..

 

[Ender]

They happy can liao. Saw one clips they even praised themselves for being successful with their zero covid strategy that's why can't get enough people to do their trial and hence their mrna failed. Don't know why type of ah Q logic is this..

[Thaiyotakamli]

Does mrna prevent outbreak? Still quite useless vaccine i would say

[Mustank]

Hang Seng thng Kor yeaterday

[inlinesix]

5 minutes ago, Mustank said:

Hang Seng thng Kor yeaterday

I think 2 fold:

1. Emergence of COVID cases in China

2. China being warned not to help Russia

[Lurpsexx]

Boastful first w covid vaccine, but in the end is just not effective n dare not publish vaccine results, fell behind.. now struggling to emulate other "slower" successful vaccines, n failed to copy/hack/steal/rob/buy the other vaccines IP, so now languishing ... Hahaha..

[Sosaria]

2 hours ago, Thaiyotakamli said:

Does mrna prevent outbreak? Still quite useless vaccine i would say

It is successful at letting you "live" with the virus without the need for crushing lockdowns or blocking travel.

[Mustank]

2 hours ago, inlinesix said:

I think 2 fold:

1. Emergence of COVID cases in China

2. China being warned not to help Russia

Today Cheong 

[t0y0ta]

5 hours ago, steveluv said:

https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/COVID-vaccines/China-s-quest-for-mRNA-vaccine-hits-stumbling-block-in-omicron?utm_campaign=GL_coronavirus_latest&utm_medium=email&utm_source=NA_newsletter&utm_content=article_link&del_type=10&pub_date=20220311150000&seq_num=8&si=44594

China's quest for mRNA vaccine hits stumbling block in omicron
Limited effectiveness of conventional shots puts 'zero-COVID' policy at risk

A medical worker walks past a sign at a coronavirus vaccination site in Beijing.   © Reuters
SHIN WATANABE, Nikkei staff writerMarch 10, 2022 12:01 JST

DALIAN, China -- China continues to struggle in developing a homegrown mRNA vaccine against COVID-19, with its front-runner failing to reach the market by the end of last year as hoped and now showing disappointing results against the highly infectious omicron variant.

The messenger RNA-based ARCoV vaccine candidate developed by Abogen Biosciences, Walvax Biotechnology and the Academy of Military Medical Sciences, now in Phase 3 clinical trials, encountered a snag shown in a paper published last month in the journal Cell Research.

Eight of 11 participants in a Phase 1 early trial who received two doses of ARCoV showed "low" neutralizing antibody activity against omicron. Though the study found that a third dose significantly increased antibody levels in mice, the shot's efficacy against the variant remains in question.

Walvax Vice Chairman Huang Zhen had boasted to Chinese media in July that the vaccine would be out by year-end. But trials continue, and no time frame exists for a release.

China's stumbles in this area could put further strain on the government's strict "zero-COVID" policy as the omicron variant drives a resurgence in cases. The political risk consultancy Eurasia Group in January cited "vaccines with limited effectiveness" as a threat to China's coronavirus strategy.

Chinese state-owned pharmaceutical companies moved quickly on conventional vaccines against COVID-19, rolling out two in early 2021. Both are inactivated vaccines, which use "killed" viruses that cannot infect cells but still can cause an immune response.

Unlike the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, these shots do not need to be kept at ultracold temperatures, enabling China to export them far and wide.

But these inoculations have proven less effective than their mRNA counterparts, eroding trust in Chinese-made shots. A growing number of countries that initially used Chinese vaccines, such as Indonesia, are turning to the U.S. for boosters.

The Pfizer and Moderna inoculations went on the market in late 2020, and are currently being tested against the omicron variant.

Developing mRNA vaccines is no easy task, said Shi Jinjun, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School. Shi said the companies that succeeded have more than a decade of research behind them, and so were well prepared when the coronavirus emerged.

Abogen was established in 2019 by Ying Bo, a former Moderna scientist. The company raised more than $1 billion through November from sources including the SoftBank Vision Fund. But while investors have high hopes for Abogen, it is unclear whether such a young company can meet these expectations.

Sinopharm, one of China's early COVID-19 vaccine creators, broke ground in September on an mRNA vaccine production facility in Shanghai slated to be completed in September of this year, according to local media. Researchers face heavy pressure to advance mRNA shots to mass production and dispel skepticism of Chinese vaccines.
 

Nikkei like to publish anti china news based on speculative imagination of article writer.

Has Japan come out with anything at all for vaccines?

[Fitvip]

@t0y0ta That is expected, being part of the Quad!

[inlinesix]

40 minutes ago, t0y0ta said:

Nikkei like to publish anti china news based on speculative imagination of article writer.

Has Japan come out with anything at all for vaccines?

That's where the customers are.

Had been telling him biased reporting from Nikkei.

[inlinesix]

31 minutes ago, Fitvip said:

@t0y0ta That is expected, being part of the Quad!

Shanghai Fosun has been BnT partner for its COVID19 vaccine.

Up to now, BnT vaccine has not been approved for use in China.

[Thaiyotakamli]

1 hour ago, Sosaria said:

It is successful at letting you "live" with the virus without the need for crushing lockdowns or blocking travel.

I believe sinopharm and sinovac also can do better than unvaccinated though