Sinovac applies for conditional approval of COVID-19 vaccine in China

Tens of thousands have already gotten CoronaVac; Sinopharm shot also under review

Sinovac Biotech says tests show its CoronaVac shot provides protective efficacy and meets the standards of the World Health Organization and China's State Food and Drug Administration. © AP

WANG LIJUN, WANG ZHUOQING and DENISE JIA, Caixin

February 5, 2021 00:00 JST

China's medicine regulator is reviewing a second domestically developed COVID-19 vaccine for conditional approval.

The CoronaVac inoculation, developed by Sinovac Biotech, has been given to tens of thousands of people in China under an emergency use program launched in July targeting specific groups with high infection risks. Regulators are also reviewing for approval a similar vaccine created by state-owned China National Pharmaceutical Group, known as Sinopharm.