A breakthrough for CanSino Biologics, Inc., being the first local vaccine company of the province of China to be approved of a patent to a Novel coronavirus or COVID-19 vaccine, Reuters said.
State media, People's Daily, reported last Sunday, August 17, 2020, that CanSino Biologics, Inc., a Chinese biopharmaceutical firm, has been approved by China to patent a COVID-19 vaccine called Ad5-nCoV. This vaccine from CanSino is the first patent that has been given concerning vaccine development in the country.
China's National Intellectual Property Administration granted the firm a patent last August 11 but is only publicized on Sunday. China Global Television Network reported that this vaccine is developed by a military infectious disease expert, Chen Wei, a Chinese military general, and virologist.
CanSino Biologics said that this patent ensures the vaccine's safety and efficacy demonstrated in the ownership of the intellectual property. Tao Lina, a Chinese vaccine expert, also supported this statement by saying that the patent would promote market confidence and marketing process, placing trust in the Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccine.
The Chinese Intellectual Property Administration also stated that in case of an outbreak triggered by the virus, the CanSino Biologics vaccine could be mass-produced and used.
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Currently, Reuters stated that Saudi Arabia is using the CanSino-made vaccine for the Phase Three clinical trials in their country. Alongside this, CanSino collaborates with participant countries such as Russia, Brazil, and Chile to launch the same Phase Three Clinical Trials for the Chinese vaccine.
CanSino's efforts led to a patenting of the first coronavirus vaccine made by China. This is just one of the country's many vaccines that are in development as of the moment. Pharmaceutical companies worldwide have been in a race that is aiming to procure a vaccine for the pandemic that struck the world.
Other players
Russia's vaccine is the most notable one because of the recent announcement of President Vladimir Putin. The announcement boasted the country being the first to create a viable vaccine for COVID-19. However, speculations and issues rise that questioned the Russian vaccine's effectiveness and harm.
Sputnik V has stirred quite a buzz about the vaccine development; but, it is considered development and breakthrough by some countries despite its Russian Health Ministry lead quit right after the announcement.
The US and UK are also frontrunners for the vaccine development with several of the country's biopharmaceutical firms and universities creating a vaccine that is now on its clinical trials and Phase three final approval.
Reuters cites India's efforts in the procurement of the vaccine with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating that a vaccine is ready for mass-production, only awaiting scientists' directives.
Japan is falling behind as it just enters Phase 1 of development, with Professor Yoshiharu Matsuura stating that the country takes its time in procuring a vaccine.
China's domination in COVID vaccines
As the world struggles to produce a vaccine widely used for mass use, China leads the development by stating that they have promising results in their laboratories. CanSino Biologics prove this, saying that their newly-approved patent would be a frontrunner in the vaccine race.
Nikkei attributes 29 total pharmaceutical companies in the clinical trial phases, and nine are in China. Also, of seven drugs in Phase Three, five belongs to Chinese laboratories.
The country boasts that their vaccines would be in practical use in the coming months earlier than that of the US' target in January of 2021.
