Tianjin, August 18, 2022 – CanSino Biologics Inc. (“CanSinoBIO”) (SSE: 688185, HKEX: 06185) today announced that its Recombinant COVID-19 Vaccine (Adenovirus Type 5 Vector) for Inhalation (trade name: Convidecia Air™) has received approval for clinical trial in Malaysia, marking the first trial study of the inhaled version of COVID-19 vaccine in Malaysia. The clinical trial will evaluate the safety and efficacy of Convidecia Air™ as a second booster dose against various variants.

Utilizing the same adenovirus vector technological platform as the intramuscular version Convidecia™, Convidecia Air™ is the world’s first inhaled COVID-19 vaccine that can effectively induce mucosal immunity to establish the first line of defense in the respiratory tract and achieve comprehensive protection in response to SARS-CoV-2.

In March, the World Health Organization (WHO) Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Composition (TAG-CO-VOC) issued an interim statement on COVID-19 vaccines in the context of the circulation of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant. It set a higher standard for future vaccine development, noting that COVID-19 vaccines should ideally prevent infection and transmission in addition to providing protection against severe disease and death, and that vaccines that are able to elicit mucosal immunity may be desirable options.

Convidecia Air™ is needle free, safe and convenient, requiring only one fifth of the dosage of the intramuscular version. In addition, Convidecia Air™ can be stably transported and stored between 2°C and 8°C, making it more accessible and contributing to large-scale vaccine distribution and building broad immune protection globally.

Convidecia Air™ provides a more effective and efficient option for the heterologous booster vaccination program. A recent study from The Lancet Respiratory Medicine indicated that a heterologous booster of Convidecia Air™ for adults aged 18 years and above, who have received two doses of inactivated COVID-19 vaccine, can induce a higher level of neutralizing antibodies than those with a homologous booster of inactivated vaccine. In addition, using Convidecia Air™ as a heterologous booster can induce effective and lasting immune protection against the infection with SARS-CoV-2 .

In light of the ongoing mutations of COVID-19 virus and public health challenges, CanSinoBIO will continue to actively work with global partners to innovate and contribute to the global fight against the pandemic.