Protein-based COVID-19 Vaccine Launches in China

Clover Biopharmaceuticals, Ltd. today announced the launch of its protein-based COVID-19 vaccine, a recombinant SARS-CoV-2 subunit vaccine, in the People's Republic of China.

Vaccinations have begun with the first doses delivered and administered in Changxing, Zhejiang, as part of China's national second booster dose (fourth vaccination dose) campaign targeting older adults, immunocompromised individuals, and individuals with comorbidities.

"We are very proud to be delivering on our commitment to helping protect the elderly and other vulnerable populations with our premium COVID-19 booster vaccine and commencing the launch in Zhejiang province where our vaccine is manufactured," said Joshua Liang, Chief Executive Officer, and Executive Director of Clover, in a press release on February 14, 2023.

"I would like to sincerely thank everyone who contributed to making today's launch possible, including our employees, clinical trial investigators and participants, health authorities in China and around the world, and our CEPI partners who provided instrumental technical and funding support."

Clover's COVID-19 vaccine was authorized for emergency use in China in December 2022.

Subsequently, the China National Health Commission formally announced its national immunization plan for a second booster dose campaign and recommended prioritizing specified vaccines that demonstrate broad neutralization against Omicron, including Clover's, for use.

In addition to Zhejiang province, Clover has started launch preparation activities in multiple strategically prioritized provinces and municipalities where it expects additional launches in Q1 2023.

Further expansion within China will continue through 2023 based on production capacity and market dynamics.

Outside of China, Clover is also prioritizing additional regulatory submissions directly in select countries, primarily in the Asia Pacific and Latin America markets, based on the potential to generate significant near-term revenue and impact via bilateral supply agreements.