News Sinopharm vaccine 79.3% effective at preventing infection, says drugmaker

[Nightrider]

A Chinese drugmaker said Wednesday its coronavirus vaccine was found to be 79.3% effective at preventing infection in preliminary data from the final round of testing, moving Beijing closer to possibly being able to fulfill its pledge to supply other developing countries.

State-owned Sinopharm is one of at least four Chinese developers that are part of a global race to create vaccines for the disease that has killed 1.8 million people. More than 1 million health care workers and others in China have received Chinese-developed vaccines under emergency approval while testing was under way.

Chinese producers have at least six possible vaccines in the final stage of clinical trials.

Western-developed vaccines must be kept frozen at temperatures as low as minus 70 degrees Celsius (minus 94 Fahrenheit). Chinese developers have said theirs can be stored at 2 to 8 C (36 to 46 F).

Western companies are distributing newly distributed coronavirus vaccines, but some health experts express concern too little will be available to poorer countries. China’s government says it will ensure Chinese-developed vaccines are affordable for developing countries and has been actively pursuing distribution deals abroad.

Chinese drugmaker: Vaccine 79.3% effective in final tests

BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese drugmaker said Wednesday its coronavirus vaccine was found to be 79.3% effective at preventing infection in preliminary data from the final round of testing, moving Beijing closer to possibly being able to fulfill its pledge to supply other developing countries.

apnews.com