Taiwan Approves Locally Produced Covid Vaccine For Emergency Use Without Efficacy Data

The vaccine candidate has yet to complete clinical trials and no efficacy data is available. 

Charles Chen, Chief Executive Officer of Taiwan’s vaccine maker Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp (MVC), poses for photographs with a vaccine sample at its headquarters in Taipei on June 16, 2021. | AFP

Taiwan's government approved the emergency use and manufacture of Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp's COVID-19 vaccine candidate on Monday, a crucial step toward the island's goal of developing its own coronavirus vaccines. 

Although the vaccine candidate has yet to complete clinical trials and no efficacy data is available, Taiwan's health ministry stated that investigations have demonstrated that antibodies produced by the injection are "no worse" than those produced by AstraZeneca's vaccine.

READ | China Developing New Fighter Aircraft Base In Shakche Region Near Ladakh

Although the vaccine candidate has yet to complete clinical trials and no efficacy data is available, Taiwan's health ministry stated that investigations have demonstrated that antibodies produced by the injection are "no worse" than those produced by AstraZeneca's vaccine. 

During clinical studies of Medigen's vaccine candidate in Taiwan, the health ministry reported there were no severe safety issues. 

It further stated that Medigen was required to submit a monthly safety report for the vaccine candidate, MVC-COV1901, which is intended for persons over the age of 20 and will be administered in two doses 28 days apart. 

In May, the Taiwanese government signed five-million-dose agreements with Medigen and UBI Pharma (6562.TWO), a company researching a homegrown vaccine, for a total of 20 million injections. Moderna Inc, AstraZeneca, and the COVAX global sharing programme have all been given orders for 20 million shots. 

Following the donation of about 6 million vaccine doses from Japan and the United States, as well as the steady arrival of vaccinations directly ordered from manufacturers, Taiwan has significantly increased its vaccination campaign in the previous month. 

After a spike in domestic cases in May, Taiwan currently has the coronavirus under control. Around 20% of Taiwan's 23.5 million residents have been given at least one of the two-shot vaccines. 

Health Minister Chen Shih-Chung said it was "probable" that Taiwan's COVID-19 warning level, which restricts personal gatherings and closes entertainment venues, might be lowered next week.