Beijing, Mar 18 (IANS): China has approved the emergency use of a self-developed recombinant protein subunit vaccine against Covid-19, its main developer, the Institute of Microbiology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said on Wednesday.

The vaccine (CHO Cells) completed phase-1 and phase-2 clinical trials in October 2020. Results support the safety and immunogenicity of this vaccine, with no severe adverse reactions reported.

The level of neutralising antibody elicited by the vaccine is comparable to other Covid-19 recombinant protein vaccines and mRNA vaccines in the world, according to an institute statement, the Xinhua news agency reported.

Researchers have been holding phase-3 trials since November 2020 in China, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Ecuador and Indonesia, planning to enroll up to 29,000 adults.

Uzbekistan approved the use of the Chinese vaccine on March 1, and China issued emergency use authorisation on March 10.

Recombinant protein subunit vaccine does not need a high-grade biosafety laboratory for manufacture, and can quickly achieve large-scale production. It is more cost-efficient and easier to store and transport, the vaccine maker said.

Jointly developed by the institute and Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical Co. Ltd., the patented vaccine is the world's first Covid-19 recombinant protein subunit vaccine approved for clinical research permit and the fourth Covid-19 vaccine approved for emergency use in China.