(Yicai Global) April 28 -- A children’s vaccine for pneumococcus bacterial infections developed by Walvax Biotechnology will soon enter the Moroccan market, the Chinese vaccine maker said yesterday.

Unit Yuxi Walvax Biotechnology has signed an exclusive agreement with Morocco’s MarocVax to distribute the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate shot in the North African country, it said.

The 13-valent jab is used in the treatment of 13 common infections caused by streptococcus pneumonaie bacteria such as pneumonia, meningitis, sepsis and bacteremia in children over the age of six weeks and under six years

The Rabat-based firm has been set a sales target of not less than two million doses a year. The two parties will also explore the local manufacture of semi-finished products and the full transfer of production technologies, it added.

The Walvax jab was only approved by Chinese authorities a year ago. Before that the only equivalent drug available was made by US drugmaker Pfizer.

Walvax’s share price [SHE:300142] closed down 0.42 percent today at CNY61.43 (USD9.47). The Kunming, southwestern Yunnan province-based firm’s stock price has soared 45 percent in the past two weeks and is now near an eight-month high.

Editor: Kim Taylor