China's mRNA Vaccine Makers Struggle to Find New Targets Amid Idle COVID Shot Plants

China's vaccine developers with unused mRNA COVID-19 shots and idle manufacturing plants are pursuing new targets for mRNA technology, but face significant challenges due to a lack of revenue. Companies such as Walvax, CSPC, and Stemirna developed mRNA vaccines that received limited approvals in Asia, but are not currently manufacturing some of their China market shots due to lack of demand.

These Chinese developers are now researching other medicines, including for infectious diseases and tumors, in an effort to find new applications for their mRNA technology. However, they lag behind competitors like Moderna in sales and face long timelines for bringing new mRNA products to market. Experts cite Moderna's technological and intellectual property advantages, as well as gaps in China's pharmaceutical industry in terms of talent and ideas, as hurdles for the Chinese companies in catching up.

The success of mRNA vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic has strengthened innovation in this field, with over 1,000 mRNA drugs now in the pipeline as of March 2024. The majority of these candidates are in the early stages of development, with the infectious disease therapy area accounting for the vast majority. Moderna dominates the late-stage pipeline for infectious disease mRNA drugs, with multiple candidates for COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, and cytomegalovirus.

There is also significant potential for mRNA in oncology, with researchers attempting to use the molecules to enhance the immune system's ability to recognize and destroy cancer cells. However, the field still faces significant challenges, particularly around stability, immunogenicity, and delivery, with delivery vehicle systems being essential in protecting the mRNA cargo against degradation or immune recognition.

Why this matters: The struggles of China's mRNA vaccine makers highlight the challenges of translating pandemic-driven innovation into sustainable business models and pipelines. The global race to develop new mRNA-based medicines will have significant implications for public health and the pharmaceutical industry in the coming years.

As Chinese mRNA vaccine developers seek to pivot to new targets, they will need to overcome technological, intellectual property, and talent hurdles to compete with established players like Moderna. The success or failure of these efforts will have important consequences for China's position in the global pharmaceutical industry and its ability to respond to future public health crises with cutting-edge mRNA technology.

Key Takeaways

• Chinese mRNA vaccine makers struggle to find new uses for unused shots and idle plants.
• Chinese firms lag behind Moderna in mRNA technology, sales, and bringing new products to market.
• Over 1,000 mRNA drugs in pipeline, mostly for infectious diseases, with Moderna dominating late-stage.
• Significant potential for mRNA in oncology, but challenges remain around stability, immunogenicity, and delivery.
• Struggles of Chinese mRNA makers highlight challenges of translating pandemic innovation into sustainable business.