Chinese drugmaker receives malaria grant

China's Ministry of Science and Technology has awarded a 9.0-million renminbi ($1.2 million) grant to Shanghai-based Wanxing Biopharmaceutical and its academic partner, the Second Military Medical University, according to the Interfax news agency. The sum was made available under the Ministry's 863 Program.

Two thirds of the award is intended to assist the conduct of Phase II clinical trials of a malaria vaccine candidate, PfCP2.9, in a Southeast Asian country. Wanxing expects to receive approval for this from China's State Food and Drug Administration in late 2008.

The remaining sums should assist the funding of a multi-stage multivalent version of the vaccine, which would boost the immunization agent's period of effectiveness. Clinical trials on this are forecast for 2009, according the firm.