China just leveled up its healthcare game! The National Medical Products Administration approved the country’s first domestically developed nine-valent HPV vaccine, Cecolin 9, on Wednesday. Developed by Xiamen University, Wantai BioPharm, and the Xiang An Biomedicine Lab, this breakthrough makes China the second nation after the U.S. to produce a high-valency HPV vaccine independently. 🎉
After five clinical trials with over 11,000 volunteers aged 9–45, results published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases showed the vaccine offers 98% protection against persistent HPV infections and 100% protection against cervical infections caused by seven high-risk HPV strains. For teens aged 9–17, just two doses are needed—matching the immune response of three doses in adults. 🩺
This isn’t the team’s first win: Their two-valent HPV vaccine, approved in 2019, is now used in 21 countries after earning WHO recognition. With cervical cancer ranking as the fourth most common cancer globally, China’s push to vaccinate 40% of girls aged 13–14 for free by 2024 could be a game-changer for public health. 💪
"This vaccine bridges a critical gap in accessibility," says a researcher involved. As costs drop and supply grows, millions more could gain protection against HPV-related diseases. 🌍✨
