CHINA’s global Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccines manufacturer, Xiamen Innovax Biotech Co., Ltd welcomed Pacific Islands journalists for a visit of its premises and provided them with valuable insights into its vaccine production operation.
In 2022 and 2023, the company signed a bulk of framework agreements with the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to achieve the United Nations (UN) 2030 Cervical Cancer Elimination Strategy.
The visit paid on Friday 30 May prior to our departure back to Beijing after covering the third China-Pacific Island Countries’ Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Xiamen City, Fujian Province, gave us valuable insights into the company’s life-saving products. We were also given a glimpse of the company’s vaccine workshop.
The company was established in 2005 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy Enterprise Co., Ltd, which is affiliated with the well-known Chinese health brand Yangshengtang.
The World Health Organization (WHO), on 4 October 2021, announced the Prequalification (PQ) of Cecoline®, the first Chinese HPV vaccine developed by Xiamen University and Xiamen Innovax Biotech Co., Ltd under the YangShengTang Group. This led to the signing of the bulk of frameworks agreements with UNICEF and PAHO for the supply of the vaccine, which was also the first anti-cervical vaccine whose propriety intellectual property is wholly owned by a developing country.
The company has committed itself to providing high-quality and affordable innovative vaccines for the prevention of human diseases. With more than 1,500 employees, it achieved a revenue of 8.4 billion RMB in 2022.
Through years of research, innovation, and industrialization, it has built a strong competitive edge in the domestic HPV vaccine field and has become the leading manufacturer of HPV vaccines in China.
The company developed its first domestically-produced bivalent HPV vaccine, which has demonstrated significant preventive efficacy and a strong safety profile.
Since the vaccine’s launch over three years ago, it enjoyed robust production and sales.
Innovax’s 9-valent HPV vaccine, which is under development, is among the most advanced domestically.
Relying on the National Engineering Research Center for the Development of Diagnostic Reagents and Vaccines for Infectious Diseases that the company co-established with Wantai Biotech and Xiamen University, exemplifies its sustainable industry-university-research collaborative model.
Innovax has also established the world’s first technical platform for recombinant Virus-Like Particle (VLP) vaccines using E. coli, making E. coli a viable production platform for human VLP vaccines. This approach offers advantages such as high expression levels and low production costs.
Based on this platform, Innovax successfully developed and commercialized several breakthrough vaccines, including the world’s first recombinant hepatitis E vaccine (First-in-class) and China’s first domestically produced HPV vaccine.
Innovax is actively expanding its global footprint and is a member and executive committee member of the Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network (DCVMN).
The company also actively participates in global cervical cancer vaccine procurement initiatives led by international organizations such as WHO, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, PATH (Program for Appropriate Technology in Health), UNICEF, PAHO, and Gavi.
These important milestones by Innovax provides countries with additional option for HPV vaccination at an affordable price and will contribute to a sustainable supply of HPV vaccine, and allow more girls to be reached with HPV vaccines.
Furthermore, these milestones underscore China’s invaluable contributions towards a better world for humanity.
By DELI-SHARON OSO
In Beijing, China
