Reuters
Omicron-specific Sinopharm, Sinovac COVID vaccine candidates cleared for clinical trial
BEIJING (Reuters) -COVID-19 vaccine candidates developed by a Sinopharm subsidiary and Sinovac Biotech to target the Omicron variant were approved for clinical trials in Hong Kong, the companies said on Saturday. Scientists worldwide are racing to study upgraded injections against Omicron, as data indicated that antibodies elicited by vaccines based on older strains show weaker activity to neutralise the highly transmissible variant. The two candidates from units of Sinopharm subsidiary China National Biotec Group (CNBG) and one from Sinovac contain inactivated or “killed” coronavirus and are similar to vaccines that the companies are supplying in China and overseas, the companies said in statements.
