China.org.cn | January 4, 2021
Speakers:
Xu Nanping, vice minister of science and technology
Zeng Yixin, vice minister of the National Health Commission, and director of the vaccine R&D working group under the State Council's inter-agency task force
Chen Shifei, deputy commissioner of the National Medical Products Administration
Shen Bo, a person in charge of the Department of International Organizations and Conferences of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Mao Junfeng, a person in charge of the Consumer Products Industry Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology
Zheng Zhongwei, head of the vaccine R&D working group under the State Council's inter-agency task force
Wu Yonglin, president of China National Biotec Group (CNBG) affiliated with China National Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. (Sinopharm)
Chairperson:
Hu Kaihong, spokesperson for the State Council Information Office
Date:
Dec. 31, 2020
Hu Kaihong:
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council's inter-agency task force. Today, we are joined by Mr. Xu Nanping, vice minister of science and technology; Mr. Zeng Yixin, vice minister of the National Health Commission, and director of the vaccine R&D working group under the State Council's inter-agency task force; Mr. Chen Shifei, deputy commissioner of the National Medical Products Administration; Mr. Shen Bo, a person in charge of the Department of International Organizations and Conferences of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Mr. Mao Junfeng, a person in charge of the Consumer Products Industry Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology; Mr. Zheng Zhongwei, a leader of the vaccine R&D working group under the State Council's inter-agency task force; and Mr. Wu Yonglin, president of China National Biotec Group (CNBG) affiliated with China National Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. (Sinopharm). They will brief you on the conditional marketing approval for the COVID-19 vaccine and other related work in progress, and answer your questions. First, let's give the floor to Mr. Xu.
Xu Nanping:
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. On Dec. 30, the Beijing Biological Products Institute Co., Ltd. announced the interim results of its phase-3 clinical trials for the COVID-19 inactivated vaccine meeting the standards of the World Health Organization and our National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). The achievement did not come easily. It embodies the wisdom and hard work of China's scientific community. This has received strong support and cooperation from all partners. I hereby would like to express my warm congratulations and heartfelt appreciation to all the institutes and workers participating in R&D of the vaccines.
General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches great importance to vaccine R&D, and has issued important instructions accordingly on a number of occasions. These have been implemented resolutely by the vaccine R&D working group. In accordance with the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, the working group has given top priority to vaccine R&D, starting work immediately on one of the five major tasks of scientific research. Taking a people-centered approach throughout, the working group has always put safety first, and is committed to developing safe, effective, and accessible vaccines. Based on science, the working group has been simultaneously working on five technological approaches including inactivated vaccines, recombinant protein vaccines, adenovirus vector vaccines, vaccines using attenuated influenza viruses as vectors, and nucleic acid vaccines, so as to maximize the success rate of vaccine R&D. Always adhering to building a community with a shared future for humanity, the working group has cooperated with 16 countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Brazil to carry out international and multi-centered phase-3 clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines, promoting R&D cooperation among research institutes and companies both in and outside China. Always adhering to collaboration between different parties, the working group has pooled resources from enterprises, universities, and research institutes. Top research groups from around the nation have been galvanized to work on these tasks. The working group has also coordinated the R&D and examination efforts, and strived to speed up the progress of vaccine R&D without reducing procedures and lowering standards, while always ensuring safety. As of now, 14 kinds of vaccines developed in these five technological approaches have entered clinical trials, among which five kinds of vaccines of three technological approaches have entered phase-3 clinical trials.
Looking forward, we will continue to do our best to speed up vaccine R&D while sparing no efforts. First, we will facilitate phase-3 clinical trials at an accelerated pace, providing more vaccine products of different technological approaches. Second, we will pay close attention to the mutation of the coronavirus and related situation, and respond in a scientific way, making sure the use of vaccines is not affected. Third, we will continue to make greater efforts on the basic R&D front, building China's strategic scientific capacity and providing firm scientific and technological support for epidemic prevention and control. Thank you.