China’s Kangtai Biological Partners With Startup to Develop mRNA Vaccines
Tang Shihua
DATE:  Jul 19 2021
/ SOURCE:  Yicai
China’s Kangtai Biological Partners With Startup to Develop mRNA Vaccines China’s Kangtai Biological Partners With Startup to Develop mRNA Vaccines

(Yicai Global) July 19 -- Leading Chinese vaccine developer Kangtai Biological Products said it plans to work with a biotech startup to develop shots based on mRNA technology.

Wholly owned unit Minhai Biotechnology has inked the deal with Immorna Hangzhou Biotechnology, Shenzhen-based Kangtai said in a statement late yesterday. Minhai will be the sole holder of the approval documents for the vaccine products jointly developed in China.

Immorna will transfer mRNA-related technologies and product design plans to Minhai in phases, and will provide samples for small and pilot trials, according to the agreement. Minhai will conduct efficacy and toxicology experiments on the vaccines, prepare clinical trial samples, and be responsible for the registration and commercial production of final products, Kangtai said.

Kangtai developed a Covid-19 vaccine based on inactivated virus technology, which was approved by the National Medical Products Administration for emergency use in China on May 14. Immorna, a startup dedicated to developing innovative drugs based on the mRNA platform, announced it had completed Series A financing of over CNY100 million (USD15.4 million) in early February.

Kangtai’s shares [SHE:300601] closed up 0.8 percent at CNY148.4 (USD22.90) today, having risen nearly 5 percent at one point during early trading.

After determining the vaccine product varieties to be jointly developed, the two companies will pen a further pact to determine financial details including down payment, milestone payments and post-marketing sales commission, Kangtai added.

The two parties have now completed validation of part of a rabies vaccine project, Kangtai said, without mentioning whether they will develop a Covid-19 vaccine based on mRNA technology.

Editor: Tom Litting

Follow Yicai Global on
Keywords:   Kangtai Biological,mRNA,Immorna Hangzhou Biotechnology,Vaccines