An initial analysis of clinical test results by a Chinese pharmaceutical company on Wednesday showed that one of its corona virus vaccines was effective, a signal that sent a positive signal to the global release of Chinese vaccines, but lacked important details.

Sinopharm is a state-controlled company Said to be a vaccine candidate Its Beijing Institute of Biological Products Division had a performance rate of 79 percent based on an interim analysis of phase 3 experiments. Sinoform said it had filed an application with Chinese regulators to allow the vaccine to be widely used.

If supported, it would increase claims by Chinese officials in recent days that the country’s vaccines are safe and effective. Officials are already moving ahead with plans Vaccinate 50 million people In China in mid-February, hundreds of millions are expected to travel for the lunar New Year holidays.

But the announcement of the synopsis, only a few sentences long, did not provide a breakdown of the results and did not answer many questions, which a Lack of clarity It has been capturing China’s corona virus vaccine development for months.

China’s drive to develop a domestic vaccine speaks to the country’s technical and diplomatic aspirations. A successful vaccine will support the country’s claim as a colleague and competitor in biomedical science to the United States and other developed countries.

The results of the synoform vaccine show that it is less effective than others approved in other countries. However, the results are more than the 50 percent limit, which makes a vaccine effective in the eyes of the medical establishment.

The other two corona virus vaccines produced Modern And Pfizer-Bioendech, Has already been shown to have a performance rate of 95 percent. The Pfizer-Bioentech vaccine is approved in more than 40 countries. The Moderna vaccine is approved in the United States, while other countries evaluate its test results. Russia announces Sputnik V vaccine The performance rate is 91 percent And has launched a mass vaccination campaign.

Beijing has leaned heavily on the promise of vaccines to strengthen ties with developing countries, which are seen as important to China’s interests. Officials have toured the world, promising to provide Chinese vaccines as a “global public good.” An attractive attack That United States May seek to resist, in particular The campaign is occupying its backyard.

Political stakes in a vaccine race are particularly high for China’s ruling Communist Party, whose dictatorial regime has been criticized for restricting information and reducing the virus when it first appeared in Wuhan late last year. A successful vaccine, if it becomes available to the world quickly, will help fix it Picture of the party Worldwide and its leader Xi Jinping. Chinese companies have said their vaccine will be cheaper and easier to transport, which could have a significant appeal in developing countries if proven.

Chinese vaccines may still be welcomed with other questions. Scientists said the title figures released by Synoform were encouraging, but said the results were difficult to evaluate independently due to the lack of supporting data. Synoform has not released information on the size of the test population or any serious side effects, data points that scientists expect in such publications.

“We handle bits and information on each of these vaccines, but Chinese companies have provided less information than Russian companies,” said Dr. Kim Mulholland, a pediatrician at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Melbourne. Australia.

“At least with Russian vaccines, we were informed of the number of cases and the basis for evidence of why their vaccine was effective,” said Dr. Mulholland, who has been involved in overseeing several vaccine trials, including a Govt. 19 Vaccine.

Michael Baker, a professor of world health at the University of Otago in Wellington who is an adviser to the New Zealand government, said that although the initial figures for synopharmaceuticals are convincing, it is difficult to know for sure without further details.

“It’s very simple in details,” he said. “One question is, in what markets do they propose to use these vaccines, because if they want a global market they must explicitly provide those details.”

There are also details about the performance of another Chinese vaccine candidate produced by Beijing-based private vaccine maker Sinovak. Published in one piece style.

Prior to the current vaccination campaign, Chinese authorities and companies had already distributed more than a million Chinese-made vaccines, mostly made by Sinoform. People In China. The campaign drew criticism from foreign scientists, who said they were concerned that authorities were not closely monitoring the population after being injected outside for medical tests.

For China, a vaccine that will help protect its 1.4 billion people is key to plans to revive the economy.

The country has labeled the corona virus with a combination of restrictions on foreign entry, mass testing and tight locking of neighboring countries whenever any case is detected. But officials are concerned that the winter could bring a new wave of infections, and hope the widely available vaccine will help prevent a resurgence and prepare the country for the resumption of regular travel and trade.

Sinovac and Sinoform use inactive corona viruses to make their vaccines – a tried-and-true method for over 130 years. Companies use chemicals to inactivate the virus’ genes so that it cannot be copied. The dysfunctional corona virus causes the body’s immune system to develop more antibodies against it. In comparison, Moderna and Pfizer are taking a revolutionary genetically based approach that was not previously widely used.

Experts say there are flaws Inactivated vaccines such as Sinovac and Sinoform. They need to start with large volumes of live corona virus samples, which can pose a life-threatening risk. Once the live samples are inactivated, additional production action is taken to ensure that none of them escapes treatment.

Another advantage Vaccines Made by Moderna and Pfizer, they are said to be quicker to make and more stable than traditional vaccines. Pfizer plans to produce up to 1.3 billion doses by 2021, while Moderna expects to be able to make a dose of 500 million to a billion doses.

The Chinese government has promised to produce 610 million doses by the end of this year and expects to do more than a billion doses next year. Many large countries, such as Brazil and Indonesia, where Chinese companies are conducting tests, each have received more than a million synovial vaccines. Turkey is 50 million dose order.

Those previously vaccinated in China have claimed that a two-dose regimen can cost between $ 60 and $ 150. The company charges about $ 30 per dose, according to people who have been vaccinated against synovitis. Synopharm says the price of both sizes should be less than $ 150. The government has said it will not make the vaccine free.

Elsie Chen contributed to the reporting.