Sinovac Biotech Ltd. Updates on Recent Meetings With The World Health Organization on SARS Vaccine Development in China
Sinovac Biotech via BizWire
BEIJING--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 30, 2004--Sinovac Biotech Ltd.
("Sinovac") (OTCBB:SNVBF) (Frankfurt:SVQ) is pleased to announce that
the near-term commencement of clinical trials for its SARS vaccine has
been ratified by members of the World Health Organization in a
conference call on 27 April 2004, involving WHO members and SARS
researchers from around the world. This conference call was convened
by Dr Marie-Paule Kieny, Director of the WHO Initiative for Vaccine
Research, and was moderated by Dr Daniel Tarantola, Director,
Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals, WHO Geneva. The WHO members
expressed their approval of Sinovac's current SARS Phase I clinical
trial design and implementation site in light of the recent SARS
outbreak in Beijing.
Several meetings have recently been conducted between WHO
officials and representatives of Sinovac and the Chinese State Food
and Drug Administration (SFDA). The "International Workshop on
Development of SARS and New Human Influenza Vaccines" was held by the
WHO and Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology on 1-2 March 2004.
Dr. Daniel Tarantola Director, Dept of Immunization, Vaccines and
Biologicals, WHO stated at this meeting, "I must say that Dr.
Marie-Paule Kiney, Dr. Osmanov and myself are very impressed with the
level of commitment, and the level of scientific expertise that was
present when holding this workshop that we are tending together. It is
very exciting to see that so much work has been done in China with
people who are advanced in the level of scientific field..."
After this event, WHO officials invited professionals and
officials from the SFDA and scientists from Sinovac to the WHO's
Headquarters in Geneva and organized a meeting - "Review of Chinese
SARS Vaccine Protocol" - to discuss the Phase I Clinical Trial for
inactivated SARS vaccine developed by Sinovac. The purpose of the
workshop was to discuss SARS prevention & control and to receive the
WHO's input on the SARS vaccine. The objective of this meeting was to
review and assist in the development of the SARS vaccine clinical
trial protocols, which comply with international clinical trial
disciplines, and to further enhance the Chinese vaccine study
standards.
After this meeting, the WHO expressed its willingness to provide
support to Sinovac during the phase I clinical trial. The WHO has
expressed its endorsement of the efforts made by Sinovac and the
Chinese government and scientists in SARS vaccine clinical research.
SARS, a viral respiratory illness caused by a coronavirus, was
first reported in Asia in February 2003, and over the following few
months, the illness spread to more than two dozen countries in North
America, South America, Europe, and Asia. According to the World
Health Organization, during the SARS outbreak of 2003, a total of
8,098 people worldwide became sick with SARS; of these, 774 died. The
SARS global outbreak of 2003 was contained; however, it is expected
that the disease could re-emerge in an annual cycle similar to the
common flu.
About Sinovac Biotech Ltd.
Sinovac Biotech Ltd. specializes in the research, development,
commercialization, and sales of human vaccines for infectious
illnesses such as Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B, influenza and "SARS."
Sinovac is one of the leading emerging biotechnology companies in
China. Working closely with Chinese public health officials, Sinovac
focuses on manufacturing and marketing human-use vaccines and related
products, and currently markets its vaccine for Hepatitis A. Sinovac
is the first and currently the only company in the world to have been
granted permission to begin clinical trials for a vaccine to prevent
SARS.
For further information please refer to the Company's filings
with the SEC on EDGAR or refer to Sinovac's website at
www.sinovac.com.
MANAGEMENT OF SINOVAC WHO TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS
CONTENTS HAS PREPARED THIS NEWS RELEASE. THIS NEWS RELEASE MAY
INCLUDE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 27A
OF THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, AND SECTION
21E OF THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, AS
AMENDED, WITH RESPECT TO ACHIEVING CORPORATE OBJECTIVES, DEVELOPING
ADDITIONAL PROJECT INTERESTS, SINOVAC'S ANALYSIS OF OPPORTUNITIES IN
THE ACQUISITION AND DEVELOPMENT OF VARIOUS PROJECT INTERESTS AND
CERTAIN OTHER MATTERS. THESE STATEMENTS ARE MADE UNDER THE "SAFE
HARBOR" PROVISIONS OF THE UNITED STATES PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION
REFORM ACT OF 1995 AND INVOLVE RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES WHICH COULD
CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE IN THE
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS CONTAINED HEREIN. THIS NEWS RELEASE SHALL
NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO
BUY NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THESE SECURITIES IN ANY
JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE
UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES
LAWS OF ANY SUCH JURISDICTION.