China likely to approve Germany's BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine by July

Picture credit: Reuters

China is planning to authorize the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Germany's BioNTech SE by July, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday (April 16), citing people familiar with the matter.

If approved, it would become the first foreign COVID-19 vaccine to be authorized in the country.

Chinese officials are reviewing clinical-trial data for the vaccine and are expected to authorize it for domestic use within the next 10 weeks, the report said.

BioNTech said in a statement that it does not speculate on timings of approvals.

The National Health Commission of China and Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd, which signed a potential supply deal with the German drugmaker in August for the vaccine, did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.

The vaccine, developed in collaboration with Pfizer Inc, is already approved in several countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Israel.