On June 1st, the Hong Kong-listed Aimei vaccine announced that the recently developed mRNA vaccine for the Omicron BA.5 variant of the novel coronavirus (LVRNA012) has completed mid-term analysis of crucial data on its protective efficacy and safety conducted by researchers in China, with the main result showing a maximum protection rate of 80.68%.

The announcement indicated that the company's study aimed to evaluate the vaccine's enhanced protection, safety, and immunogenicity in individuals aged 18 and above who received a single dose. Most cases of COVID-19 collected after the 7th day of vaccination showed mild symptoms, with very few being moderate.

According to the study results, the vaccine demonstrated a protection rate of 73.16% against disease caused by COVID-19 infection, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 54.24% to 85.00%. This result far exceeds the international standard for vaccine efficacy against COVID-19 (i.e., protection rate ≥ 50% and lower limit of 95% confidence interval ≥ 30%).

Monitoring data from GISAID shows that despite the shift in the major circulating strains in China from BA.5.2 and BF.7 and their sublineages to XBB and its sublineages since late April 2023, the protection rate of this vaccine has not decreased. In fact, it has shown even higher protective efficacy. Based solely on this trial data, the vaccine has demonstrated superior protective effects against the XBB variant.

How is the construction of the production line for this new mRNA COVID-19 vaccine by Aimei progressing?

Recently, journalists from Shanghai Securities visited Aimei Vaccine's subsidiaries Aimei Rong'an and Aimei Weixin to learn that the mRNA vaccine production facilities have been installed, and all production lines have been completed. "It is expected that the mRNA vaccine production workshop at the factory will have an annual capacity of over 200 million doses," said Hu Dedong, Deputy General Manager of Aimei Rong'an.

Hu Dedong further informed reporters that besides being applicable to the production of the new mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, the entire set of production equipment can also be used to produce other types of mRNA vaccines. This means that Aimei Vaccine's production line will expand in the future, empowering the production of more vaccine products.