(Yicai Global) July 1 -- A unit of China National Pharmaceutical Group, also known as Sinopharm, has finished building the world’s first facility for the research, development and mass production of Covid-19 vaccines in the city where the novel coronavirus outbreak started.

Built by China National Biotec Group, the plant in Wuhan will be able to produce 100 million doses of vaccines a year, Chairman Yang Xiaoming said today. Mass production of vaccines is essential to carry out large-scale immunization and eradicate the virus, he added.

The complex will also be able to carry out scientific research on highly pathogenic virus vaccines including Covid-19, the Beijing-based firm said, which is important for the development and production of drugs and vaccines needed in the pandemic.

CNBG, which has the largest output of vaccine and blood products in the country, has been developing Covid-19 vaccines since February. Two of its inactivated vaccines, which use killed virus particles as opposed to weakened live ones, were approved by the government to start clinical trials on April 12, a world first.

Jointly developed with Sinovac Research and Development, the firms were given permission to conduct the first and second phases of clinical trials simultaneously. So far, unblinding results have shown that the vaccines are safe and no serious adverse reactions have occurred, the firm said on June 16.

On June 23, the United Arab of Emirates gave permission for CNBG to start Phase III clinical trials of its inactivated Covid-19 vaccines in the Middle Eastern country, the first such shot to reach the final stage of human trials in the world.

Editor: Kim Taylor