China gains strong foothold in therapeutic cancer vaccines market

Seven cancer vaccines have been approved in the country.

The development of therapeutic cancer vaccines is rapidly advancing in China, with local pharmaceutical companies working to secure their foothold in the growing market, said GlobalData.

The report revealed that the country has seven approved cancer vaccines. Of these, four were developed by multinational companies.

“The homegrown vaccines include Wozehui, developed by Shanghai Zerun Biotechnology, and Cecolin, by Xiamen Innovax Biotechnology, both targetting different serotypes of HPV,” the report said.

Moreover, Cure & Sure Biotech’s Rebys, an autologous heat shock protein-gp6 peptide complex, targets multiple cancers, including those of the oesophagus, stomach, pancreas, and liver.

According to Jithendra Kancharla, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, these vaccines harbour antigens specific to tumour cells and present them to immune cells, encouraging them to attack the mass.

Kancharla added that innovations in personalised neoantigen vaccines, oncolytic virus-based vaccines, and mRNA vaccines drive the sector forward.

Meanwhile, As of 20 August, 23 cancer vaccines are in clinical trials in the country, with most being therapeutic vaccines.

“As these vaccines progress through clinical trials and reach commercialisation, China's influence in oncology is likely to expand,” Kancharla said.