A new generation COVID-19 vaccine that is inhaled rather than injected has been approved by China’s drug regulator for emergency use as a booster vaccination.
The inhaled version of China’s CanSino Biologics Inc’s adenovirus-vectored COVID-19 vaccine has obtained the green light from the National Medical Products Administration, the company announced in a filing on Sunday.
“The approval will have a positive impact on the company’s performance if the vaccine is subsequently purchased and used by relevant government agencies,” CanSino said.
China also granted emergency use authorization to Livzon Pharmaceutical Group Inc’s COVID-19 vaccine as a booster, Livzon announced on Friday, one of just two new products against the disease the country had approved in the last twelve months.
China has reported escalating case numbers of COVID-19 in recent weeks. The southern tech hub of Shenzhen imposed a weekend lockdown in most parts of the city on Saturday, while the southwestern metropolis of Chengdu put its 21 million people under strict lockdown on Thursday.
Mainland China reported 1,848 new coronavirus cases on Sep 3, including both symptomatic and asymptomatic infections, compared with 1,988 new cases a day earlier.