China's first domestic HPV vaccine earns WHO prequalification

XIAMEN, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- China's first self-developed HPV vaccine Cecolin has gained prequalification from the World Health Organization (WHO), its developer said.

The move indicates that the WHO has given the vaccine its stamp of approval in safety and efficacy, and United Nations procuring agencies may now source it, according to Xiamen University.

Jointly developed by Xiamen University and Xiamen Innovax Biotech Co., Ltd., Cecolin makes China the third country in the world to achieve an independent cervical cancer vaccine supply after the United States and Britain.

With "high quality" and "low price," the vaccine is expected to benefit more women all over the world, especially in developing countries, after gaining WHO prequalification, said Zhang Jun, a researcher with the university and one of the leading members of the vaccine research team.

Currently, some places in China's Fujian, Jiangxi, Sichuan and Shandong provinces have incorporated the HPV vaccine into the free vaccination program or carried out free vaccination campaigns for girls aged nine to 14.