China has announced the price of its first domestically produced 9-valent HPV vaccine, which is about 40% of the price of imported 9-valent HPV vaccines.
According to Xinhua News Agency on the 8th, the developer Wantai Bio disclosed that China’s first domestic 9-valent HPV vaccine, "Xinkening 9", is priced at 499 RMB (295 MYR) per dose, which is about 40% of the price of imported 9-valent HPV vaccines.
The 9-valent HPV vaccine "Xinkening 9" was jointly and independently developed by the academician Xia Ning-shao’s team from Xiamen University and Wantai Bio, taking as long as 18 years.
According to a head-to-head clinical trial published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases in July 2023, Xinkening 9 has a similar immune response and safety profile to imported 9-valent HPV vaccines.
Preventing persistent HPV infection is the first line of defense against cervical cancer. However, to date, out of China’s 300 million women aged 9 to 45, 70-80% have not yet been vaccinated against HPV.
It is reported that Xinkening 9, as the only approved 2-dose HPV vaccine regimen for girls aged 9-17, may significantly improve vaccination coverage and is suitable for large-scale vaccination of young girls in China.
Industry insiders point out that the domestic 9-valent HPV vaccine, entering the market with a higher value-for-money ratio, will not only enhance the willingness of eligible females to be vaccinated, but also provide critical support for establishing a nationwide immunity barrier. This can accelerate progress toward eliminating cervical cancer. It is expected that this inclusive pricing will benefit over 100 million women in China and have a positive impact on cervical cancer prevention and control worldwide.