Sinovac Strikes Deal for Hepatitis Vaccine Trials in the Ukraine

Sinovac Biotech (SVA) has licensed the Biolik Biopharmaceutical Company, a Ukraine-located vaccine manufacturer, to conduct clinical trials of Healive, Sinovac’s inactivated hepatitis A vaccine, in the Ukraine. Biolik, which will market and distribute Healive in the Ukraine after it obtains regulatory clearance, estimates the eventual market for Healive in the Ukraine at $10 million annually. Thus far in its corporate history, Sinovac has not been aggressive in promoting its products outside of China.

The Healive clinical trials will enroll approximately 300 adults and 200 children and include a six-month follow-up period. Sinovac and Biolik expect the entire process, including regulatory approval, will take between nine and twelve months.

Biolik manufactures and distributes immunobiological and medical products to the Ukraine and all of the countries that once constituted the USSR, including Russia. It seems, however, that the Healive initiative is aimed specifically at the Ukraine, at least at first.

Sinovac will supply Biolik with product. Its GMP-certified manufacturing facility has excess capacity.

Although Sinovac reported record-high revenues and profits in its second quarter, the stock remains at record low levels. Sinovac’s shares slipped 15 cents lower at mid-session Monday to $2.98. So far this year, Sinovac has traded between $2.98 and $8.33.

Disclosure: none.