China plans to approve the first foreign new crown vaccine by July amid continued pressure from Chinese scientists and the foreign business community, The Wall Street Journal said Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Chinese officials are reviewing clinical trial data for a new crown vaccine developed by a partnership between German biotech firm BioNTech and U.S. firm Pfizer Inc. and are expected to approve it for domestic use within the next 10 weeks, people familiar with the matter said.
Although Chinese vaccine makers cite trial data saying their homegrown vaccine is almost entirely effective in preventing severe cases requiring hospitalization, some Chinese public health experts have been pushing for the introduction of Western vaccines that can better prevent mild infections, and many foreign workers in China want Western vaccines that are more internationally recognized in order to make it easier to leave the country.
BioNTech agreed late last year to partner with Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceuticals to supply 100 million doses of the new crown vaccine to China this year after it was approved.
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