Full Press Release Details
Initiates Development of Vaccine Against Hand, Foot, and Mouth
Tuesday September 23, 8:00 am
Sept. 23 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Sinovac Biotech Ltd. (Amex: SVA - News), a leading
developer and provider of vaccines in China, today announced it has initiated
development of a vaccine human enterovirus 71, EV 71, which causes hand, foot,
and mouth disease (or HFMD). In collaboration with China the CDC, Sinovac will
be supplied with epidemiology study results from the outbreak area, which will
facilitate the Company's vaccine research and development
Weidong Yin, President and CEO, commented, ''Outbreaks of HFMD have occurred in
many countries since the 1970s. The disease has increasingly become a threat not
only in China, but also in neighboring countries. Since no vaccine is currently
available to protect our children, we believe that, as a leading vaccine
developer in China, it is our responsibility to engage in the development of a
vaccine against EV71. We anticipate that this product has the potential to
become another flagship product once it is developed and commercialized similar
71, or EV71, causes Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (or HFMD) among children. HFMD
is a common and usually mild childhood disease. EV71 is a frequent cause of HFMD
epidemics associated with neurological disease in a small proportion of cases.
There have been a number of outbreaks of EV71 HFMD in the Asia-Pacific region
since 1997. Outbreaks have been reported in Malaysia (1997), Taiwan (1998, 2000
& 2001), China (1998-2008), Australia (1999) and Singapore (2000) among
other areas in the region. There is no specific treatment for enterovirus
infections and a vaccine is not currently available.
total reported cases were 83,344, among which 17 are dead. According to WHO
report dated 7 May 2008, as of 5 May, 4,496 cases, including 22 deaths, of hand,
foot and mouth disease (HFMD) due to enterovirus 71 (EV71) have been reported
among infants and young children in Fuyang City, Anhui Province, China, since
the beginning of the year.
Biotech Ltd. is a China-based biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the
research, development, manufacture and commercialization of vaccines that
protect against human infectious diseases. Sinovac's commercialized vaccines
include Healive (hepatitis A), Bilive (combined hepatitis A and B), Anflu
(influenza) and Panflu(TM) (H5N1). Sinovac is currently developing Universal
Pandemic Influenza vaccine and Japanese encephalitis vaccine. Additional
information about Sinovac is available on its website, http://www.sinovac.com . To
be added to our distribution list, please email: info@sinovac.com.
announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made
under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by words
or phrases such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends,"
"plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, the
business outlook and quotations from management in this press release contain
forward-looking statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including
statements about Sinovac's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties.
A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially
from those contained in any forward- looking statement. Sinovac does not
undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as
required under applicable law.
more information, please contact:
Tel: +86-10-8289-0088
Fax: +86-10-6296-6910
Carrington/Janine McCargo
Tel: +1-646-536-7017