WHO prequalification moves China into global vaccine arena

The emergence of Indian vaccine manufacturers has helped health authorities drive down the cost of immunization campaigns. Now, the downward trend is set to accelerate. China has entered the global vaccine arena. The World Health Organization (WHO) prequalified a Chinese-made vaccine for the first time. The prequalification of a Japanese encephalitis vaccine from China National Biotec group (CNBG) should cut the cost of protecting people against the disease. CNBG received the WHO nod after working with Seattle-based non-profit PATH, which initiated the collaboration as part of a $39 million Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-backed Japanese encephalitis project. “We were able to support the clinical trials, to help CNBG install a facility up to international standard, and to help them improve their systems and processes,” PATH’s Vaccine Access and Delivery Program director Dr. Kathleen Neuzil told Financial Times‘ blog beyondbrics. The result is a WHO-prequalified Japanese encephalitis vaccine that sells for 30 cents...