“Our research team has made a breakthrough in the large-scale cell culture technology for mass producing the vaccine,” Adimmune Chairman Steve Chan said. “The first phase of clinical trials is set to begin in 2012.”
Taiwan started developing enterovirus vaccines following the EV71 outbreak in 1998 that claimed the lives of 78 young children. Another massive occurrence of the virus took place in 2001, when the disease led to the deaths of 58 children. The virus causes severe neurological disorders and commonly infects infants and children younger than 5 years old.
In related news, Chan said Adimmune’s continued innovation in developing advanced biotechnology has been recognized with a Good Manufacturing Practice certificate from the European Union. It is the only vaccine manufacturer in Asia to receive this qualification, he added.
Chan disclosed that the corporation will invest NT$1.5 billion (US$50.36 million) in building the largest vaccine plant in Asia to expand its output tenfold. “This investment should lift the company’s annual production capacity to 30 million doses,” he said.
