Taiwan-based Medigen said last month it was seeking a speedy emergency use authorisation, or EUA, from the government for its vaccine candidate after safely completing Phase II trials. Developing its own vaccine has been a major goal of Taiwan's government, though it also has ordered some 20 million shots from Moderna Inc, AstraZeneca and the COVAX global sharing scheme. The health ministry said in clinical trials in Taiwan the antibodies created by Medigen's vaccine candidate have been proven to be "no worse than" those created by AstraZeneca PLC vaccines, and that there were no major safety concerns. The EUA for UBI's vaccine candidate is still pending. Around 20% of Taiwan's 23.5 million people have received at least one of the two-shot vaccine regimen.

Source: bd News24 July 19, 2021 06:45 UTC