Shionogi Applies for Approval of Its COVID-19 Vaccine

Osaka, Nov. 24 (Jiji Press)--Shionogi & Co. <4507> said Thursday that it has applied with the health ministry for approval to manufacture and sell its COVID-19 vaccine, the first such vaccine developed by a Japanese drugmaker.    Shionogi's vaccine is supposed to be used for the first, second and third vaccinations against COVID-19 for those aged 20 or older in the country.    The vaccine is a recombinant protein-based type that is different from messenger RNA vaccines, including one developed by U.S. drug giant Pfizer Inc., that are widely used in Japan now.    Shionogi is also developing a vaccine also targeting novel coronavirus variants including omicron and planning to accelerate efforts to put it to practical use.    In December 2020, the company started a clinical trial for the COVID-19 vaccine for which it has applied for approval.    The application has been delayed due to difficulties collecting participants in its clinical trial as the use of foreign-made COVID-19 vaccines had already spread.    On Thursday, meanwhile, Shionogi President and Chairman Isao Teshirogi told a news conference that the company's COVID-19 pill, for which the ministry gave emergency approval on Tuesday, can be prepared for some three million people by the end of March next year.    The company chief added that the Xocova pill will become available to 10 million people in fiscal 2023, which starts in April next year.    "Xocova can be used for a wide range of people regardless of their vaccination records and is beneficial to Japan," he stressed. END