Sinovac increases vaccine production to ensure global supply

BEIJING -- Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech Ltd is ramping up the production of CoronaVac, an inactivated COVID-19 vaccine, to ensure global supply, according to Yin Weidong, chairman and CEO of the company.

"Sinovac has received vaccine orders from Brazil, Indonesia, Turkey, Chile and other countries and regions, and we are making every effort to expand the production capacity," said Yin in an interview with Xinhua News Agency. "We hope the vaccine will protect more people around the world."

The Sinovac vaccine has been approved for emergency use in several countries, including China, Indonesia, Brazil and Chile, according to Yin.

Yin added that the company has constructed a second production line, which will start operation in February, increasing its annual production capacity to 1 billion doses.

Sinovac will export semi-finished jabs to some countries, and help build local filling and packaging lines in importing countries to improve the production capacity and efficiency, Yin said.

"On the basis of an annual output of 1 billion doses, we will continue to expand production capacity. We are facing uncertainties related to the coronavirus pandemic and demand for vaccines, which shall not be responded with the usual demand-supply business model alone. Vaccines are public goods and we should shoulder social responsibilities," Yin said.