(Yicai Global) July 25 -- China’s influenza vaccine supplies will be sufficient for the second half of the year even though adverse weather conditions led some domestic makers to halt production, according to industry insiders.

Hualan Biological Engineering told Yicai Global that it had already delivered the first batch of flu shots, as the various links in the supply chain are working normally. Appointments for vaccinations with the firm’s quadrivalent influenza jab are already open.

GDK Biotechnology suspended flu jab production at its plant in Taizhou, Jiangsu province on July 15 because the facility was flooded after heavy rains. The shots are not expected to make it to market for the peak autumn season, and the firm’s third-quarter business revenue will likely be zero, GDK said on July 18.

Good Manufacturing Practice, a system for ensuring that products are consistently made and controlled according to quality standards, requires the strict germ-free production of vaccines. Water seepage and floods can compromise the clean environment for vaccine output, so firms need to shut down production and make checks to ensure product safety, market sources said.   

“BCHT Technology’s production of influenza vaccines is going on as normal,” the Changchun-based firm said when asked whether it will face a similar situation to GDK.

Clover Biopharmaceuticals’ imported quadrivalent seasonal flu jab AdimFlu-S(QIS), approved by China’s National Medical Products Administration in January last year, will kick off sales in the second half, the firm said. AdimFlu-S(QIS) is the only imported quadrivalent jab for seasonal influenza that can be given to children aged three and older in China.

The biggest challenge for vaccine makers in summer is to have storage with backup power for when production is halted due to bad weather or electricity blackouts, Yuan Yuan, China representative for infrastructure solutions provider Path, told Yicai Global.

Vaccine producers need to consider topography when planning production to avoid the possible impact of floods, Yuan noted, adding that they should also draft emergency plans and take into account factors such as the supply chain, weather, earthquakes, and pandemics.

Editors: Zhang Yushuo, Futura Costaglione