Clinical use of H7N9 vaccines could be years away  

数个H7N9疫苗已申报 临床试验仍需时间

针对H7N9禽流感病毒疫苗的研发，数家公司及机构已有不少突破性进展。业内人士表示，一个新疫苗，从临床前研究到临床试验再到获批上市，还须经过很多谨慎的研究、审核环节和足够的时间(一般为2年至3年)。[查看全文]

(ECNS) -- Several vaccines for H7N9 bird flu are waiting for approval in clinical trials, but it will take years before the vaccines can be used on humans, the Beijing News reported on Sunday.

The Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center (SPHCC) announced that its genetically-engineered vaccine for H7N9 avian influenza passed preliminary testing on laboratory mice last week.

The newspaper said it is not the country's first, as at least two biomedicine companies have applied for H7N9 vaccines to undergo clinical trials, but none of them have received approval from the China Food and Drug Administration.

Experts say that clinical tests are still at an early stage for vaccines, and that it usually takes two or three years before they can be used on humans.

China Business News cited Xu Jianqing, an official at the SPHCC, as saying that clinical trials include three phases covering at least six years. Risk is also involved during the process, he added.

A vaccine producer said genetically-engineered vaccines need more time to come onto the market, as producers must launch new production lines and apply for new GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) certificates.

China reported more human cases of H7N9 on Saturday after researchers in Shanghai announced preliminary success in developing a vaccine, according to Xinhua.