China approves one more inactivated COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use

GUANGZHOU, May 15 (Xinhua) -- China has approved one more inactivated COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, according to a recent announcement.

Shenzhen Kangtai Biological Products Co., Ltd., the developer of the vaccine, said on Friday that the vaccine it developed has started related work for Phase III clinical trial.

The vaccine reported no adverse events with an intensity of grade 3 or above in the first two phases of its clinical trials, according to the company's research submitted to MedRxiv, a web portal distributing preprints about health sciences.

A grade 3 adverse event refers to side effects that are severe or medically significant but not immediately life-threatening, according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events.

Research, development and industrialization of the vaccine are going smoothly, said the company, adding that a vaccine manufacturing plant built in the Nanshan District of Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, has kicked off production.